Russia’s oil production rose 3% year-on-year in the first nine months and daily oil output was 1% higher in September than in August, the daily Kommersant said on Wednesday, citing unidentified industry sources.

In September, Russia’s daily oil production increased to 1.47 million tonnes and reached a total of about 400 million tonnes in the first three-quarters of the year, the paper said.

In the period from April until the beginning of August, Russia continuously increased production, which decreased in the spring, however, because of problems with exports following Western sanctions against Moscow, it said.

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In August, produciton was slightly down. Kommersant also said there were signs of an increase in oil exports by rail, mainly to China, as higher freight costs make shipment from Baltic ports unprofitable in the wake of the sanctions, and force exporters to seek options.