Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered restrictions or bans on the export and import of certain products and raw materials by 2022, Reuters reported. At present, there are more than 200 kinds of products whose export is prohibited, these include forestry products and equipment, science and technology, telecommunications, medical, automotive, agricultural, electrical and technical equipment, containers, trains, railway vehicles and locomotives, turbines, and so on. Russian officials said it was a “Reasonable response to the sanctions imposed on Russia in order to ensure the proper functioning of the country’s key economic sectors.”Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Dennis Manturov and Minister of natural resources have proposed a ban on the export of timber and timber-related products to “Unfriendly countries”by the end of this year, raw materials for paper and plywood, for example. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is expected to pass a corresponding government decree in the near future. Hardwood imports are critical to the U.S. market. Timbercheck, a timber resources company, says 54.4 per cent of the hardwood plywood consumed by US manufacturers in 2019 was imported, with at least 10 per cent of the plywood coming from Russia. It is estimated that the United States consumed 4.5 million cubic metres of hardwood plywood in 2019, but only 2.15 million cubic metres were produced. Imports are therefore necessary to cover this deficit. Hardwood plywood also in 2019, Russia overtook Canada to become the world’s largest exporter of softwood, mainly for residential construction. By 2020, Russia will account for about 12% of the global timber export market. Thus, Russia’s move to ban some timber exports will undoubtedly have some impact on the global market.