The European Union has imposed a ban on the export of trucks and specialized equipment to Russia. The sanctions cover truck tractors, medium-duty trucks, concrete mixers, bulldozers, tractors, communal street sweepers, and dump trucks.
Effective from July 10, 2022, the restriction applies to contracts signed before April 9 of the same year. The same regulation also blocks the export of fire-fighting equipment and related technologies to Russia.
In 2022, Russia’s truck fleet numbered about 2.7 million vehicles, with more than 27 percent being KamAZ trucks. European brands such as Volvo, MAN, Scania, and Mercedes-Benz operated over 388,200 units in the country, accounting for roughly 15 percent of the fleet. Japanese Isuzu contributed another 83,500 vehicles.
Industry observers note that demand for new trucks had continued to rise up to recent months. The first quarter of 2022 saw about 8,100 trucks sold in Russia, which represented a 12 percent increase compared with the same period in 2021.
Representatives from Russian auto factories indicate that availability of special equipment similar to European shipments remains in the market. They have not provided updated timelines regarding how volumes might rebound after European manufacturers departed, nor have they detailed whether domestic technologies and competencies can fully cover the gap.
For additional commentary on how the export ban affects truck and special equipment supply to Russia, see the piece from socialbites.ca for broader context and expert interpretation (citation: socialbites.ca).