Sobyanin commented on the chances of Renault's return to the Russian market

Prospects for Renault's return to the Russian market are hardly good. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin shared this opinion, commenting on the words of Renault head Luca de Meo that the company does not rule out the possibility of returning to the Russian Federation.

"He may not rule it out, but it's unlikely to be anything good," TASS quoted Sobyanin as saying on February 21.

In the spring of 2022, Sobyanin said that Moscow's Renault car plant was taken over by the city. It launched the production of passenger cars under the brand "Moskvich". Concern Renault sold the Moscow plant without an option to buy back the site.

As the Financial Times reported the day before, Renault CEO Luca de Meo said that the company does not rule out a return to Russia. He said that buying back a controlling stake in AvtoVAZ is not a priority, but the brand's management is open to discussing business opportunities. The press service of the Russian company told Izvestia that it is not currently negotiating with Renault.

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At the end of 2024 , more than 23 thousand Moskvich cars were sold in Russia, including more than 2.4 thousand Moskvich 6 liftbacks and more than 1.3 thousand Moskvich 3e electric crossovers. At the same time, in August 2024, Maxim Zlatokrylets, the commercial director of the capital's automobile plant, stated that Moskvich was sticking to its plan to sell 27 thousand cars in 2024.

On February 21, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy Stanislav Naumov said that automobile companies that left the Russian market and decide to return should be imposed a special tax.