MOSCOW, October 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's foreign trade declined 45% year-on-year in January-August to $277 billion, the Federal Customs Service reported on Tuesday.

Trade with other post-Soviet CIS countries declined 46.2% to $40.8 billion, and foreign trade with non-CIS countries shrank 44.8% to $236.2 billion in the reporting period, the service said.

Russia's foreign trade balance declined by $72 billion year-on-year in January-August 2009, but remained positive at $78.5 billion, the statement said.

The foreign trade surplus was $63.3 billion with non-CIS countries (a decrease of $63 billion) and $15.2 billion with CIS countries (down $9 billion).