The Russian government has added the French automaker Renault SAS to its sanctions list amid reports that the company might produce drones for Ukraine.
This was stated in a decree published on the official legal information portal. The list includes foreign companies involved in military-technical cooperation, which are subject to “special economic measures” as a response to the “hostile actions” of certain foreign states, reports The Moscow Times.
These measures include a ban on transactions by listed entities, including foreign trade contracts; restrictions on fulfilling obligations to sanctioned companies under existing agreements; prohibitions on making payments benefiting listed entities; and restrictions on operations with securities.
The government first created this sanctions list in May 2022. Another category on the list covers companies subject to special economic measures that are not involved in military activities. In June, another European automaker operating in Russia, Daimler Truck AG (Germany), was added to this list.
Renault entered Russia in the early 1990s. In 1992–1993, the company opened its first office, and in 1998 signed an agreement with the Moscow government to create the joint venture Avtoframos. By 2005, a full-cycle factory was established, and Renault gradually increased its stake to 100%. In 2014, it was renamed Renault Russia.
In April 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Renault — which held nearly 30% of the domestic car market — decided to transfer its Russian operations to the state for a symbolic price of one ruble, receiving a six-year option to buy back the business. After Renault’s exit, the Moscow plant was converted into the Moskvich automobile factory, which later began assembling Chinese car copies under the Soviet-era brand from kits purchased in Beijing.
In June 2025, reports emerged that Renault might start producing drones in Ukraine, following a proposal from the French Ministry of Defense. The company stated that no decision had been made. Following this, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said that pursuing such plans would constitute a “hostile action” against Russia and warned that it would also block Renault’s return to the Russian market, despite the previously agreed option.
