Here is the text translated into English, maintaining the requested 10-12 sentence structure and paragraph format:

In the first half of 2026, the Russian business of Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) showed a sharp increase, contributing 550 million euros in net profit to the group. This result accounted for 40% of the total financial performance of the entire Austrian banking group, which reached 1.37 billion euros. Such a high profit share highlights the significance of the Russian market despite geopolitical pressure. A year earlier, in the first half of 2025, the Russian business recorded a loss of 437 million euros due to provisions for litigation. In the second quarter of the current year, the profit of the Russian units amounted to 289 million euros. Net interest income in Russia for the half-year stood at 780 million euros, down 13.2% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the group's total assets in the country exceeded 18 billion euros.

RBI management states its intention to continue scaling back its presence and to resume efforts to sell or spin off the Russian business. The exit process is complicated by regulatory barriers from both European and Russian authorities. Furthermore, the funds earned in Russia remain blocked inside the country and are unavailable to the parent office in Vienna.