Kazakhstan's Russian car imports nearly cease amid new fees

Kazakhstan has seen a dramatic collapse in passenger car imports from Russia, with shipments valued at a mere $72 in June 2026. This figure represents a stark contrast to previous months, where imports reached millions of dollars, peaking at $5.5 million in April before plummeting in May and June.

The primary driver behind this sharp decline is Kazakhstan's introduction of new coefficients for calculating recycling fees on vehicles originating from Russia and Belarus, effective May 8. For a passenger car with an engine displacement between 1 and 2 liters, the new system can result in a recycling fee of up to 29.4 million tenge, often exceeding the car's purchase price and rendering imports economically unviable.

Simultaneously, the flow of vehicles from Kazakhstan to Russia has also diminished due to various restrictions. Electric vehicles imported into Kazakhstan under preferential terms face a three-year restriction before transfer to Russian citizens. Furthermore, Russia's Federal Customs Service has tightened oversight on vehicles from Kazakhstan, scrutinizing customs duties and recycling fee calculations. This has led to instances where Russian owners of Kazakhstan-imported cars faced substantial additional charges, effectively stifling automotive trade in both directions.