Avtovaz
Russian maker of Lada cars, based in Tolyatti; controlled by state institute NAMI since 2022.
Avtovaz, the Tolyatti maker of Lada cars, has been controlled by the state institute NAMI since Renault sold it a 67.69% stake in May 2022, keeping an option to buy it back within six years.
Last refreshed: 12 October 2026
Could Renault still take back Avtovaz, the Lada maker it sold in 2022?
Timeline for Avtovaz
Mentioned in: Putin clears sale of AO UniCredit Bank
Russia-Ukraine War 2026Background
Avtovaz makes Lada cars in Tolyatti, on the Volga. Its president is Maxim Sokolov, WHO still led the company in August 2026.
Renault sold its 67.69% stake to the state research institute NAMI in May 2022, keeping an option to buy it back during the following six years. Avtovaz has since sat under Lada Auto Holding, which NAMI owned outright from May 2023 until Rostec bought back in with 32.3% in September 2024, according to Sokolov.
Avtovaz's 2022 change of owner set the pattern for Western exits on Moscow's terms. The 5 October 2026 order clearing the sale of UniCredit's Russian bank follows the same outline: the Western parent keeps a separated slice while the rest changes hands under a Kremlin permit. Whether Renault uses its option before it runs out in 2028 will show whether such exits can be reversed.