The Ministry of Industry and Trade has opened a public discussion on a draft government decree that contemplates the sale of 100% of Shushary-Avto LLC, a vehicle manufacturing entity that holds the assets of what was once the Toyota plant on Russian soil. This move is part of a broader government effort to reorganize strategic industrial capacity and reallocate production assets to continue important national manufacturing capabilities. The draft proposal signals a formal step toward transferring ownership away from the current state-managed framework toward a new operator that can leverage the site’s established infrastructure, workforce, and supply chains to support ongoing automotive and light-vehicle production. This development is being monitored by financial and manufacturing circles as a potential turning point for regional industrial activity and for the broader strategic plan to maintain local employment and industrial output in the sector once dominated by multinational manufacturing activity.
The press service of the Ministry of Industry and Trade has stated to agencies that the former Toyota plant is slated to be transferred to the Almaz-Antey concern. The plan envisions Almaz-Antey initiating production of trucks and electric vehicles, including the e-Neva line, at this site. At present, the plant is owned by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “NAMI” under the oversight of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The transfer would align with Russia’s broader objective of sustaining critical industrial capacity through state-involved and defense‑industrial groups, while simultaneously aiming to diversify the product mix produced at the location beyond traditional automotive models. The move would also test the ability of a defense-concern ecosystem to integrate commercial vehicle manufacturing and next‑generation electric propulsion technologies within a facility that has long served as a symbol of automotive legacy in the region.
Historically, the Toyota plant was placed under the management of Obukhov Plant JSC, which itself operates as part of the Almaz-Antey defense conglomerate. In recent statements, the General Manager of the Obukhov Factory described a period during which the site was positioned to host the reintroduction of manufacturing activity, including potentially a revival of the L-type microcar concept and related light-vehicle projects. This broader transition involved discussions around funding and capital requirements, with projected loan figures cited in the 35–37 billion rubles range as a critical catalyst for restarting production initiatives and enabling the scaled rollout of new product lines. The evolving strategy underscores a preference for leveraging existing industrial assets and government financial instruments to accelerate modernization efforts, expand the regional manufacturing footprint, and maintain competitive capabilities in a sector that plays a pivotal role in employment and technology development within the country.