At least 1,319 luxury cars worth a combined $229.6 million have entered Russia since the U.S. and the EU banned the shipment of high-end automobiles in March 2022, the independent Russian media outlet Verstka reported on Nov. 13, citing an internal investigation of customs data.
Russia has received 551 Land Rovers, 226 Mercedes-Benz vehicles, 177 Porsches, and other luxury-brand cars since the ban on such imports went into effect on March 15, 2022.
Russia has also imported at least 42 high-priced supercars, the most expensive of which is a Ferrari 812 Competizione, worth nearly $534,000.
While Russia's imports of luxury cars fell sharply after sanctions were first imposed, customs data shows that shipments picked up again in 2023.
In the first nine months after the ban, records indicate that only 378 high-end cars (worth over $100,000) entered Russia. In the first nine months of 2023, however, at least 941 vehicles crossed the Russian border.
According to Verstka, the vehicles were imported through intermediaries in third countries, primarily Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Belarus, and the United Arab Emirates.
The EU is currently negotiating its 12th round of sanctions against Russia. One of its primary aims is to prevent Russia from evading sanctions by working with third-party countries.
Daniil Ukhorskiy
