Coal companies reported a combined loss of 91 billion rubles ($873 million) in the first nine months of 2024.Russia's Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev announced that a package of assistance for coal miners would be developed "as soon as possible."Tsivilev also highlighted the need for a socio-economic development program for Kuzbass, Russia's key coal-producing region, which accounts for 60% of the country's hard coal and 80% of its coking coal output.Russia’s coal exports fell by 11.4% to 112.6 million metric tons from January to July, while shipments to China — its main coal customer after Western sanctions — dropped by 8% in the first half of 2024.Meanwhile, the Biden administration is considering new, harsher oil sanctions against Russia ahead of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.