Nissan to sell its Russia assets to Moscow

Japanese automaker Nissan will sell its Russian assets, including a factory in Saint Petersburg, to the Russian government, the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Moscow said yesterday.

The announcement comes after Nissan suspended production at the plant in Russia's second city in March, shortly after Moscow sent troops to Ukraine.

"Nissan's executive committee approved the sale of its Russian assets to the Russian Federation. This includes Nissan's production and research facilities in Saint Petersburg as well as a sales and marketing center in Moscow," the ministry said in a statement.

Under the terms of the deal Nissan "can buy back its share within the next six years," it added. Nissan said in a separate statement that the deal will be finalized "in the coming weeks," adding that the company will take a "one-off impact" of around 100 billion yen ($686.5 million).

It added that its 2,000 or so employees in Russia will receive "employment protection" for 12 months.

No financial details of the transaction were provided by either side yesterday.

"On behalf of Nissan, I thank our Russian colleagues for their contribution to the business over many years. While we cannot continue operating in the market, we have found the best possible solution to support our people," Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said in the statement.