Reuters: Russians assemble Citroen cars without the knowledge of the brand owner

In the spring of 2022, the giant international concern Stellantis announced that it was suspending the export of cars from Russia, the supply of cars to the local market from abroad and the production of products at the plant in Kaluga. However, in December 2023, the Russian company Automobile Technology» imported at least 42 vehicle kits for the assembly of the Citroen C5 Aircross model at this enterprise, reports the American agency Reuters, citing information from customs and other sources.

The publication notes that the specified production site, which has been idle for some time, still actually belongs to Stellantis (a 70% share of the enterprise, another 30% from the Japanese Mitsubishi). At the same time, the vehicle kits were allegedly manufactured in China by Dongfeng Motor Group. At the same time, unnamed representatives of car dealerships in Russia told the agency that Automotive Technologies assembles the Citroen C5 Aircross in Kaluga.



Moreover, the agency was unable to find out whether the vehicle kits from China contained parts that were subject to Western sanctions against the Russian Federation. Moreover, it does not follow from customs data or information from sources that the Stellantis concern knew about the specified delivery of the Chinese automaker to Russian territory. Reuters found that a number of large Western companies, for example, IKEA and Carlsberg, do not control the brands they own after suspending their activities or leaving the Russian Federation. In this regard, Russians may well independently assemble Citroen cars without the permission of the brand owner, i.e. the Stellantis concern.

The Automotive Technologies company, registered in Moscow in March 2023, is owned (100%) by Galina Dolgolenko. The businesswoman announced in December that she was assembling a pilot (test) batch of 48 imported cars, ahead of the start of mass production, which will start in 2024. However, Dolgolenko did not name the supplier or car model at that time.

In turn, Dongfeng Motor Group and Stellantis have a joint venture in China, through which Dongfeng can assemble and sell Stellantis cars in China. At the same time, the Stellantis concern, formed in 2021, has 14 brands: Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram Trucks and Vauxhall.