The Ministry of Industry and Trade is moving to transfer Toyota’s Russian assets, following the Japanese automaker’s decision to exit the Russian market, to its subsidiary FSUE NAMI. The announcement came from Denis Manturov, the head of the ministry, and was reported by Interfax. The shift is part of a broader plan to reorganize and repurpose foreign automotive investments within Russia’s evolving industrial landscape, with government oversight aimed at preserving continuity in service and maintaining strategic production capabilities.
Last autumn, Toyota announced a strategic realignment that included relocating operations to St. Petersburg, a city that had been home to manufacturing since 2007. The company signaled the closure of its plant there, a decision that followed years of production activity including a year when the facility produced tens of thousands of vehicles. In 2021, roughly 80,000 vehicles rolled off the assembly lines, with Camry sedans and RAV4 crossovers among the models produced. These figures reflect Toyota’s footprint in Russia at a time when the automotive sector faced shifting demand, regulatory changes, and geopolitical tensions that influenced corporate strategies and local employment outcomes.
Even as the plant’s closure was announced, Toyota pledged to preserve its dealer network and continue after-sales service for both Toyota and Lexus vehicles. By January 2023, the company completed a major workforce adjustment, with dozens of employees laid off in the St. Petersburg location and the remaining staff numbering in the low hundreds. The sequence of events illustrates how multinational carmakers manage transitions in a market affected by sanctions, supply chain perturbations, and policy shifts that influence manufacturing, distribution, and service ecosystems.
In parallel to these developments, the St. Petersburg Nissan factory and related assets were transferred to FSUE NAMI during the previous year. This transfer enabled additional strategic planning by automotive groups and paved the way for announced investments and new production ambitions. AvtoVAZ subsequently indicated interest in leveraging these assets to extend its own manufacturing reach, with visions of launching C- and D-class vehicle production as part of a broader modernization effort. The consolidation of facilities and the regrouping of resources reflect a trend toward reallocating capabilities to maintain domestic automotive output while adapting to changing market demands and government priorities.
Local authorities and industry leaders have highlighted that restarting production at two auto plants remains a potential objective for 2023 and beyond. Statements from former regional officials underscore the government’s role in coordinating large-scale industrial projects, aligning public policy with corporate restructuring, and safeguarding jobs where possible. The evolving situation demonstrates how state institutions, automotive manufacturers, and partner enterprises collaborate to sustain manufacturing capacity, support service networks, and navigate a complex landscape of sanctions, investment incentives, and strategic national interests. The ongoing dialogue between policymakers and industry players aims to ensure that the transition preserves technical know-how, preserves supply chain resilience, and supports regional development goals while adjusting to a shifting global automotive environment.