Western sanctions against Russia are making themselves felt: In October, the number of new registrations in the country fell by almost two thirds (62.8 percent) compared to the previous year, as announced by the Association of European Companies in Moscow. Accordingly, only 45,228 new cars were registered.
New registrations have been falling for months, especially for foreign brands such as Volkswagen, Renault, Citroën, Hyundai and Kia. Meanwhile, the most sold brand is the domestic brand Lada.
In order to compensate for the lack of imports of automotive parts and to increase its own production, the Russian government has relaxed regulations. Cars can be produced without an anti-braking system or airbag.