After the New Year, the State Duma’s official car fleet is expected to be composed almost entirely of domestic vehicles. One deputy, Denis Parfenov, shared this outlook with socialbites.ca, noting that he could not provide an exact tally of Lada Vesta cars purchased, though one batch reportedly included 26 vehicles. [citation]
Parfenov explained that several non-simultaneous acquisitions were made, making it difficult to state a precise total. He perceived a clear objective: replace the entire fleet with Russian-made cars. The current plan, he observed, is to transform the entire park. Previously, Ford and Hyundai dominated the lineup, but the shift is moving toward Lada across the board. The transition is set to intensify with the start of the new year, and drivers are already taking a few days to acclimate to the new models, their specifications, and features. He remarked that the fleet would likely be nearly full of domestic cars. [citation]
Another deputy, Oleg Leonov, indicated that the authorities do not handpick the exact cars used for Deputy travel. He clarified that the vehicle replacement began with higher-mileage vehicles. [citation]
These are duty vehicles, meant for deputized trips upon request. Deputy Leonov mentioned that he primarily uses these cars and does not have a personal vehicle assignment. He added that the process does not involve car selection by the MPs themselves; rather, they specify the need for transportation, and currently Lada Vesta is the available option. The arrivals are gradual, so not every car has been swapped yet. The shift appears to target vehicles with high mileage first, with reports of two new cars being used in a single day. The letters of the law remain unchanged for deputies who prefer to drive their own vehicles, but the system does not routinely provide a personal company car. [citation]
On December 28, a deputy named Oleg Leonov took delivery of a Lada Vesta that had just entered service and released a video showing the car from inside. He described the Vesta as a great car with a comfortable interior, praising the multimedia system and the large vertical touchscreen that displays navigation, plus a USB port. [citation]
Alexander Tolmachev later called the plan to replace foreign cars in the State Duma garage with domestic ones a correct decision. He argued that stronger use of Russian-made cars would elevate their status as practical, reliable vehicles rather than as mere auxiliary options. He also criticized brands that disconnect Russians from remote services, calling that approach a mockery of customers. [citation]
Earlier, AvtoVAZ stated that MPs do not yet know how the new Lada Vesta cars in their garage are equipped, leaving questions about features and configurations to be resolved as the fleet transition continues. [citation]