MOSCOW, may 28 - RIA Novosti/Prime. Natural gas exports from Russia will grow in 2015 will amount to 174, 8 billion cubic meters, and in 2018 will reach 180, 1 billion cubic meters of updated macroeconomic forecast of socio-economic development of Russia in the years 2016-2018, published on the Internet office of the Mayor. in 2016, according to the forecast Exports of natural gas will increase to 177, 5 billion cubic meters in 2017 - up to 178, 7 billion cubic metres. Export of gas from Russia in 2014 amounted to 174, 3 billion cubic meters. the reduction of gas supplies from Russia to the European Union in January-February 2015 (7, 3 billion cubic meters) can not completely be compensated for by substitution of the transit volumes of Central Asian and Azerbaijani gas, according to the forecast. in addition, the Ministry of economic development highlights the downside risks to increase exports of gas network in foreign countries in connection with the intention of the EU to reduce dependence on gas imports from Russia, to replace gas with other fuels, as well as among them coal and renewable energy sources. In the context of the emerging relationship with Ukraine's gas supply from Russia to this country in 2015 is determined at the level of 2014, according to the document.