Tens of thousands of cars are being exported from China to Russia under gray-market schemes that often circumvent Western and Asian government sanctions and automakers¡¯ commitments to exit the Russian market, according to registration data reviewed and interviews with five people involved in the trade.
The sanctions and company pledges came in reaction to Russia¡¯s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. But a thriving trade in these vehicles ¡ª from Toyotas and Mazdas to German luxury models ¡ª continues partly through informal networks enabling Russian dealers to order them through Chinese intermediaries, the interviews and data from Russian research firm Autostat show.
Most are made in China ¡ª where many international brands build vehicles with local partners ¡ª or are shipped through the country after being manufactured elsewhere, according to the data and sources.
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