Demand for Russian-made cars in Kazakhstan has plunged by 99%, with the value of imports falling to just $72 in June, Mash Telegram channel reports.
Kazakhstan imported 236,900 vehicles in 2025, including 6,874 Russian passenger cars, which accounted for around 2.9% of total imports. The market had continued to grow in early 2026, with Russian automakers recording sales of about $1 million in January, $1.5 million each in February and March, and $5.5 million in April.
According to Mash, imports dropped sharply after Kazakhstan increased the vehicle recycling fee. From May 8, the coefficient applied to small-engine vehicles from Russia and Belarus rose from 3.5 to 136. The resulting fee for a single vehicle can reach 29.4 million tenge ($66,043).
Kazakhstan has described the measures as retaliatory, saying Russia had previously imposed similar restrictions on vehicles from other Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states.
The new rules have particularly affected Lada. By August, the Russian brand had fallen out of Kazakhstan’s top 20 best-selling car brands, while sales of GAZ and UAZ vehicles also declined by tens of percent.
Experts estimate that “gray” imports account for around 35% of initial vehicle registrations in Kazakhstan. Since September 1, the country has tightened customs and technical controls, while Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has instructed officials to develop measures to combat illegal vehicle imports.
By Vafa Guliyeva
