Car dealerships in Kazakhstan are reportedly refusing to sell vehicles to Russian citizens, including some with local registration, amid concerns about violating international sanctions imposed on Russia.
According to Russian media outlet Mash Money, a Russian citizen attempting to purchase a vehicle at a Škoda dealership in Almaty was denied the transaction after presenting a Russian passport.
The dealership reportedly cited European Union sanctions and the Czech carmaker's corporate policies as reasons for refusing the sale.
While similar restrictions have previously affected Russian citizens without residency status in Kazakhstan, the latest reported incident suggests that some dealerships may also be applying limitations to Russians with local registration.
However, there has been no confirmation of a nationwide ban on vehicle sales to Russian citizens.
Major automotive brands reportedly impose restrictions
According to earlier reports by Autonews and Kazakhstan Today, dealerships representing several international automotive brands have introduced restrictions on vehicle sales to Russian customers.
The brands reportedly affected include Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen, Chery, Audi, Nissan, Lexus and Lada.
The restrictions vary depending on the manufacturer and dealership.
Volkswagen representatives reportedly referred to the broader political situation, while Audi dealerships cited direct instructions from the manufacturer.
Kia dealerships, meanwhile, were reported to require buyers to possess a Kazakh residence permit or tax identification number before completing a purchase.
The measures reflect concerns among local distributors that vehicles sold to Russian buyers could subsequently be transferred to Russia, potentially exposing dealerships to sanctions-related compliance risks.
According to Kazakhstan's El.kz, some Russian buyers have increasingly relied on local intermediaries to purchase vehicles as dealerships seek to avoid transactions that could raise sanctions concerns.
Ilya Mazayev, a buyer from Yekaterinburg, told Avto Mail that he was offered alternative arrangements when attempting to finalise a vehicle purchase in Kazakhstan.
Such arrangements reportedly involve local intermediaries facilitating transactions that dealerships may be unwilling to conduct directly with Russian citizens.
However, the legality of individual transactions depends on the vehicles involved, the applicable sanctions and the circumstances of the sale.
Anton Shaparin, vice president of Russia's National Automobile Union, attributed the restrictions to concerns among Kazakh dealerships about losing access to international automotive manufacturers.
According to Shaparin, manufacturers could terminate supply agreements if they suspected that their Kazakh partners were facilitating the circumvention of sanctions against Russia.