MOSCOW — Russia’s forestry sector could face a deep contraction next year as sanctions tighten, interest rates remain high and the ruble stays strong, Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Mikhail Yurin said Thursday. Addressing a Federation Council committee, Yurin said the industry has entered a “downward trend,” with the worst-case scenario pointing to a 20-30% drop in output in 2026. The ministry expects already falling production to continue declining into 2027 if geopolitical conditions worsen, Interfax quoted Yurin as saying. According to the Economic Development Ministry, wood-processing is among the weakest performers in Russia’s industrial landscape. Output fell 4.3% in the third quarter and the slump accelerated to 7.8% in October. …He said Russian timber exports have fallen by more than 20% since before the war, from $12.5 billion in 2021 to to $9.8 billion. Logging volumes are expected to hit a four-year low of 182 million cubic meters this year.