window to europe
Belarus has become a corridor for Renault Koleos deliveries from South Korea, routed through the Renault Samsung Motors plant in the Franco-Korean alliance. Western sanctions do not apply to these shipments, as South Korea is not aligned with the EU on the issue of Russia. According to Renault’s Belarus office, the next batch is planned to include 50 Koleos units, after which monthly imports of 30 to 50 crossovers are expected to continue into the country.
Officials explained that both Belarus and Russia participate in the EAEU Customs Union, and the company handles all vehicle registrations. Each car is fitted with an ERA-GLONASS unit. In addition, it is possible to purchase Renaults in Belarus from Russia without physically visiting the country; payments are completed via a remote sales contract, but buyers must still collect their vehicles themselves, since delivering cars to a carrier can incur substantial costs. A Renault representative in Belarus noted that while deliveries can be arranged, there has been little demand for single-car transports, as car carriers are typically loaded with six or seven vehicles.
The full Renault lineup can be bought using Russian rubles. This includes Master light commercial vehicles, previously imported from France, along with remaining stock of Duster, Arkana, Kaptur, and Logan models. Belarusian Renault confirms that the latter are available in sufficient quantities and in stock for purchase with rubles. There is no fixed deadline for buying a car in rubles with a complete set of registration documents. Renault states that buyers are not discriminated by nationality; interest from Russian buyers has risen sharply due to limited availability of cars in Russia.
In Belarus, the former Renault dealership network will service vehicles purchased there. Renault representatives in Minsk reiterated these policies to socialbites.ca. Vehicles come with a three-year or 100,000-kilometer warranty, whichever comes first. The Russian dealer network previously insured the cars; in disputes, Renault as the importer in Belarus would provide local service. Such precedents have not previously occurred in Russia. A Minsk dealer source indicated that vehicles bought in a union state would be issued with temporary numbers, remain registered in Russia, and incur a disposal fee.
what is given and how much
At a Minsk Renault dealership, a Koleos crossover was offered for 3.6 million rubles. The manager noted that the vehicles are sold with the standard equipment package, without additional options. The package features memory, ventilated and massage seats, a power tailgate, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping sensors, dual-zone climate control, autostart, LED headlights, and 18-inch alloy wheels.
The equipment list also includes a rearview camera with parking sensors, a multimedia system with a 9-inch display, navigation, and Bose audio with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, along with eight speakers and six airbags. The Koleos is powered by a 2.5-liter gasoline engine producing 171 horsepower, paired with a CVT and all-wheel drive. In dimensions, the Koleos aligns closely with the Nissan X-Trail, as both models ride on the CMF-C/D platform shared by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. Deliveries of Renault Koleos to Russia ended in early 2020, when it stood as the only Renault model imported into Russia from abroad.
Regarding current demand for the Koleos in Russia, Za Rulem magazine editor-in-chief Maxim Kadakov observed that the model had limited popularity prior to the blockade and now trades for about half its former price. He added that, in the present climate, 3.6 million rubles for a sizable crossover no longer seems excessive. By comparison, the new Nissan X-Trail in Japan is listed around 30,000 euros (roughly 1.8 million rubles), making it a far cheaper option. Some Russian buyers feel that a Renault offers better value than a Chinese-made alternative at this price point.
In the current market, finding a brand-new non-Chinese crossover at 3.6 million rubles is challenging, prompting some Russians to view Renault as a more sensible purchase than a Chinese model when money is tight.
There is still ambiguity about how authorities will view this strategy, and observers note that the siting of Belarus as a sales corridor could influence political perceptions among French stakeholders. Sergei Burgazliev, an independent automotive industry consultant, suggested that Belarus could become a staging ground for Renault cars in Russia if supply constraints persist, while also noting the potential for increased demand from Belarusian consumers seeking European-market models that are less available in Russia.
Another perspective comes from the Minsk dealer’s headquarters. A representative stated that a car bought in a union state would receive temporary numbers, retain its Russian registration, and incur a disposal fee. The Belarusian approach appears aimed at maintaining continuity of supply for customers in both markets, even as geopolitical tensions shape distribution channels. Industry observers caution that political reactions in France may influence corporate decisions, though Renault remains focused on logistics and regional demand patterns.
In summary, dealerships in Minsk are offering Koleos crossovers with robust feature sets and a flexible ruble-based purchase option. The arrangement presents a potential bridge between European-market preferences and the practical realities of Russian consumer needs, as well as a testing ground for cross-border sales within the Eurasian framework. While the long-term outcome remains uncertain, Renault’s strategy in Belarus is clearly to maintain access to a European-calibrated product line for buyers in both nations, leveraging regional industrial ties and existing registration infrastructures to sustain sales momentum amid sanctions-driven shifts.