Is Namibia helping Ukraine or Russia? Leaning toward Russia
Namibia's support for Ukraine since 2022: <€1m (<0.01% of one year's GDP: its aid, refugee hosting, private donations and its other parts of support, net of money flowing back). Russia kept €100m (0.83% of GDP) more than without the war, mostly Russian crude in fuel bought from refiners elsewhere (€146m; the other parts take €45m off it). The net is 0.83% of a year's GDP toward Russia (likely from 1.7% toward Russia to 1.4% toward Ukraine; likely toward Russia · 77%).
likely from 1.7% toward Russia to 1.4% toward Ukraine · €100m · ≈ 0.18%/yr
Supported Ukraine + raised Russia's earnings from trade = 0.83% of GDP toward Russia. Mostly toward Russia (mostly Russian crude in fuel bought from refiners elsewhere).
Chance toward Russia: 77%; 100% of the other method choices agree.
Support for Ukraine
Supported Ukraine with
<0.01%
<€1m
about 0 essentially zero
Russia's earnings from trade
Probably raised Russia's earnings from trade by
0.83%
€100m
likely from 1.8% toward Russia to 1.4% toward Ukraine likely toward Russia · 77%
Russia kept €100m (0.83% of GDP) more than without the war, mostly Russian crude in fuel bought from refiners elsewhere (€146m; the other parts take €45m off it).
Russia's gain: Russia kept 0.83% of GDP more (€100m; likely from 1.7% toward Russia to 1.4% toward Ukraine)
Namibia's own gain from trade with Russia: Namibia kept <0.01% of GDP more from its trade with Russia (<€1m; likely from 0.02% toward Russia to <0.01% toward Ukraine)
The two lines add up to Russia's earnings from trade; their ranges do not.
Its story in short
Rough data: mostly estimates 73% of its parts, by size, are rough indications (certainty D): treat its number as a direction, not a measurement.
Mostly one part Russia kept more from its oil bought via other countries: €146m of the net's €100m.
What decides this number
Chance toward Russia: 77%; 100% of the other method choices agree. Not certain, mostly because of how much it would have bought from Russia without the war. What decides it: if Russia kept more from its oil bought via other countries were 69% smaller, the direction would flip.
What makes up the number
Supported Ukraine with <0.01% · <€1m
Probably raised Russia's earnings from trade by 0.83% · €100m
Russia kept more from its oil bought via other countriesDown estimate
−1.2%
€146m
Russia kept less from fuel and goods sold hereC
+0.41%
€50m
Russia kept more from war-time fuel pricesC
−0.03%
€4m
+ toward Ukraine, − toward Russia (in support for Ukraine, − is money it earned back or bought less from Ukraine than without the war). Letters: A reported, B measured estimate, C modelled estimate, D rough indication.
By year
The year with the largest net amount was 2023: −€35m. The yearly amounts are small against the range of the total, so their side from one year to the next is not a finding.
Each year's amount: + toward Ukraine, − toward Russia. *2026: to August.
Trade with Russia before and after
It bought €31m from Russia in 2021 and €31m in 2025 (−1%). It sold €1m to Russia in 2021 and €8m in 2025. For Namibia: €4m paid above no-war prices, most of it in 2022, 71% of it on gas contracts. Most of this is fuel and food bought from Russia. Fuel is fungible and sold through many traders: the figure reflects what this economy bought, not a policy toward Russia or Ukraine. These are sales values at each year's prices; the totals count what the seller kept on them.
Sanctions on Russia
We found no sanctions of Namibia's own against Russia (checked 27 October 2026). This says nothing about whether firms there follow other countries' sanctions. Russia's list of “unfriendly” states does not name Namibia. Checked 27 October 2026.
11 sources back its parts: 1 official statistics, 1 research reports, 0 press reports and 3 of this project's own estimates, plus 6 method inputs. By size, 0% of its parts are reported or measured (A–B), 27% modelled (C) and 73% rough indications (D).
Data coverage
Aid to Ukraine: estimated no record found: 0, with a small upper bound
Private donations: estimated national totals or a GDP-based estimate
Services trade with Russia: estimated Eurostat, OECD-WTO and Bank of Russia data
Refugee hosting: reported no refugees from Ukraine recorded
Bought from Russia: reported reported 2021-2025
Sold to Russia: estimated partner data plus an estimate of goods reaching Russia via third countries
Bought from Ukraine: reported reported 2021-2025
Sold to Ukraine: reported reported 2021-2025
Energy switching cost: estimated modelled per fuel and month
Company taxes in Russia: reported no companies operating in Russia found
Sources, by part
Russia kept more from its oil bought via other countries D
In money terms the net is −0.83% of one year's GDP (likely from 1.7% toward Russia to 1.4% toward Ukraine; likely toward Russia · 77%). Chance toward Russia: 77%; 100% of the other method choices agree. Russia kept €100m (0.83% of GDP) more than without the war, mostly Russian crude in fuel bought from refiners elsewhere (€146m; the other parts take €45m off it). Most of this is fuel and food bought from Russia. Fuel is fungible and sold through many traders: the figure reflects what this economy bought, not a policy toward Russia or Ukraine. The number counts money: weapons at their money value; votes, diplomacy and intent are not in it.
What decides Namibia's number?
Chance toward Russia: 77%; 100% of the other method choices agree. Not certain, mostly because of how much it would have bought from Russia without the war. What decides it: if Russia kept more from its oil bought via other countries were 69% smaller, the direction would flip.
How does Namibia compare with its neighbours?
The net as a share of one year's GDP: Angola +0.25%, Zambia −0.05%, Botswana −0.07%, South Africa −0.49%, Namibia −0.83%.
We found no sanctions of Namibia's own against Russia (checked 27 October 2026). This says nothing about whether firms there follow other countries' sanctions. Russia's list of “unfriendly” states does not name Namibia.