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Russia received €79 million in prosthetic limbs, related components and artificial joints from Germany in the first half of 2026, according to Eurostat data reviewed by Forbes Russia. Limb prostheses and related components were worth €41.2 million, with supplies 5.4 times their 2021 level; shipments of artificial joints were 6.1 times higher.
Russia received €79 million in prosthetic limbs and artificial joints from Germany in the first half of 2026, with imports of prosthetic arms and legs and related components reaching 5.4 times their 2021 level, according to Eurostat data reviewed by Forbes Russia. The figures point to rising reliance on foreign supplies as demand for prosthetics grows and domestic production struggles to meet needs for higher-cost devices.
The German shipments comprised €41.2 million in prosthetic arms, legs and related components and €37.8 million in endoprostheses, including artificial hip and knee replacements and other joint implants. Compared with the first half of 2021, shipments of endoprostheses were 6.1 times higher, Forbes Russia reported, citing Eurostat.
In total, Russia imported €144.9 million in prostheses and endoprostheses from EU countries during the first half of 2026. The corresponding value for the same period in 2021 was €66.5 million. The German total was almost one-third higher than in the first half of 2025, according to the figures cited in the report.
The data measure the value of recorded imports, not the number of individual devices or patients treated. They also cover prosthetic limbs and artificial joints as separate categories: the reported fivefold increase applies to limbs and related components, while the rise for joint replacements was larger.
Imports Fill High-Tech Supply Gaps
The increase matters because it coincides with record state provision of prosthetic limbs and a reported shift toward younger recipients, who may need more complex devices. Russia’s Labor Ministry recorded 152,661 prosthetic arms and legs issued to people with disabilities in 2024, more than in any of the previous 10 years, according to the source report.
Forbes Russia described a mismatch between the domestic industry’s capacity and demand. Russian-made products account for about 80% of the market by unit but only 30% by value, while imports make up as much as 70% of the market for expensive, high-tech components. The figures suggest that domestic production supplies many devices, but imported goods remain important in the higher-priced segment.
That distinction is relevant for patients and health services: a market share measured by the number of items can obscure reliance on imported technology in costlier categories. The import figures alone do not establish how devices are distributed, who receives them, or whether all demand is being met.
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Demand and Recipient Ages Shift
The reported rise comes amid changes in Russia’s prosthetics market. According to Rostec, the Russian state defense conglomerate, young people made up about 8% of those needing prosthetics before 2022; by 2025, their share was estimated at 15% to 20%. Rostec said most of these younger patients were people wounded while fighting in the war with Ukraine.
The figures are attributed estimates, not a complete public breakdown of all prosthetics recipients. Market participants cited by Forbes Russia said devices are now being issued significantly faster and recipients have become younger. The report also said younger patients require more complex and technologically advanced prostheses, while experts described Russian production of such devices as having developed more slowly historically.
The comparison is between the first halves of 2026 and 2021, not full-year totals. The source report does not specify how the value changes divide among prices, product mix and shipment volumes, so the figures should be read as import values rather than a direct count of additional devices.
“Russian-made products account for about 80% of the prosthetics market by unit but only 30% by value.”
— Forbes Russia, reporting on the Russian prosthetics market
What the Import Data Cannot Show
The Eurostat figures establish the recorded value and origin of imports, but the report does not provide shipment counts, product-level details, or the number of patients who received German-made devices. It is also unclear how much of the year-on-year increase reflects higher quantities, higher prices, or changes in the mix of products.
The source material does not explain how the devices were financed, how they entered Russia, or whether the trade data capture all routes of supply. It does not establish that every import went directly to a patient or that rising imports fully closed the gap between supply and demand. Those details would be needed to assess the practical effect on access to care.
Further Data Needed on Supply
The reported figures cover only the first six months of 2026. Full-year trade data could show whether imports continued at a similar pace, but the source report does not give a date for a subsequent release or forecast what the annual total will be.
More detail on device quantities, types, prices and distribution would help clarify what the increase means for patients and domestic manufacturers. Until such information is available, the confirmed picture is a rise in the value of German and broader EU shipments compared with the first half of 2021, alongside reported increases in demand and reliance on imported high-tech components.
Key Questions
How much did Russia import from Germany?
Russia imported €79 million in prosthetic limbs, related components and artificial joints from Germany in the first half of 2026, according to Eurostat data reviewed by Forbes Russia.
What does the fivefold increase refer to?
It refers to the value of German shipments of prosthetic arms and legs and related components compared with the first half of 2021. The reported increase was 5.4 times; endoprosthesis shipments were 6.1 times their 2021 level.
How much did Russia import from the EU overall?
Russia received €144.9 million in prostheses and endoprostheses from EU countries in the first half of 2026, compared with €66.5 million in the same period in 2021.
Does the import value show how many patients got devices?
No. The reported figures give the value of imports, not the number of devices or patients. They also do not show how goods were distributed or whether all demand was met.
Source: meduza.io
