On February 1, the deadline for submitting a report on the priority use of highly localized domestic cars as official transport for civil servants is approaching. The head of state issued the relevant directive to the Russian government, the presidential administration and regional authorities in September 2023. In anticipation of this date, socialbites.ca spoke with deputies and senior officials to learn which official vehicles they currently drive and how the transition to domestic fleets is taking shape.
State Duma deputy Oleg Leonov of the New People group shared that he continues to rely on a Lada Vesta for business trips while noting ongoing efforts to refresh the lower house’s vehicle fleet with domestically produced cars. He described the system in place, explaining that MPs do not own personal cars. Vehicles are allocated to the Chairman of the State Duma, his deputies and committee chairmen, with other units receiving cars specifically for official travel. He added that he encounters Lada Vestas about once every two days and rides them with a sense of convenience and familiarity.
Leonov also mentioned that the fleet still includes the new Lada Vesta alongside foreign models like the Ford Mondeo and the Hyundai Sonata that serve State Duma deputies. He pointed out a practical drawback of Vesta, noting its lower ceiling compared to taller passengers and the absence of a central armrest, which can be a minor discomfort on longer trips. Nevertheless, he emphasized the USB port on the vehicle is a welcome feature, allowing him to charge devices and stay productive while moving between engagements.
He stressed the importance of a gradual transition to domestic vehicles and highlighted that the vehicle fleet is large enough to enable a phased replacement timeline, ensuring service continuity as older cars reach the end of their operational life. This measured approach aims to avoid abrupt disruptions while expanding the use of Russian-made cars.
Airat Farrakhov, a United Russia deputy in the State Duma, indicated that, in addition to the Lada Vesta, Russian-made Haval crossovers are also employed to serve MPs. He described his experiences with both Vesta and Haval as solid and noted that reliability is the critical factor at this stage. He observed that drivers may have initially approached these models with some caution, but reliability and consistency have become the focal considerations as the new year began.
Farrakhov observed that Haval crossovers, including the Lada Vesta-based variants, have been assigned to MPs since the start of the year. He added that for inter-municipal travel across regions, the UAZ Patriot is preferred as a company vehicle, reflecting a broad mix of domestic options used in day-to-day operations.
Alexander Solovyov, deputy head of the Russian Accreditation Service, noted that the department uses Chinese-made Chery Arrizo 8 sedans provided under a transport services contract. He described a recent competitive process in which there is no domestic car yet, but contractors are required to offer Russian-made vehicles as a priority. He added that products from the Chinese auto industry do not attract complaints, while officials do not demand excessive levels of comfort. He also clarified that European brands that exited Russia are not used for transporting department staff.
The Kaluga region’s governor, Vladislav Shapsha, shared that for business trips he relies on a Mercedes vehicle and a Volkswagen Transporter minibus that has been in service for about five years. He recalled a period when the regional fleet consisted of Kaluga-produced Volkswagen cars, which had not seen an update for two years. He stressed that future purchases should come from the domestic auto sector, with a preference for Lada and UAZ models when replacements are needed.
Looking ahead, Shapsha mentioned the restart of the PSMA Russian plant last year and plans to reactivate the former Volkswagen plant, which would enable the use of locally produced cars in the Kaluga region. He expressed hope that regional fleet updates would favor vehicles manufactured nearby. He personally maintains a Mercedes-Benz and a Volkswagen minibus in his fleet, noting that these vehicles have significant mileage and are not young, yet they are kept in operation with careful maintenance and no major issues.
Overall, regional and federal officials appear to be pursuing a staged transition toward greater domestic manufacture in their official fleets, balancing the needs for reliability, comfort and continuity with the broader policy push to prioritize Russian-built vehicles whenever feasible. The practical experiences of MPs, regional governors, and departmental heads illustrate the challenges and opportunities involved in replacing long-standing foreign models with locally produced cars, while ensuring that operations remain smooth and efficient across various government structures.