Hyundai, Kia's March sales plunge 68 pct in Russia amid war

SEOUL, April 7 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Corp. said Thursday their combined vehicle sales in Russia plunged 68 percent in March from a year earlier following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February.

Hyundai and Kia sold a total of 11,245 vehicles in Russia last month from 35,389 units a year ago, the companies said, citing data from the Association of European Businesses.

Hyundai suspended its plant in Saint Petersburg last month due to disrupted parts supplies amid the war.

It is uncertain whether the Korean carmaker will resume production in Russia.

This year, Hyundai and Kia aim to sell a combined 7.47 million vehicles in global markets, up 12 percent from their sales of 6.67 million units last year.

Hyundai has seven domestic plants and 11 overseas plants -- four in China and one each in the United States, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Russia, India, Brazil and Indonesia. Their combined capacity reaches 5.65 million vehicles.

Kia has eight domestic plants and seven overseas ones -- three in China and one each in the United States, Slovakia, Mexico and India. Their overall capacity is 3.84 million units.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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