MOSCOW, Jan 12 Reuters Car sales in Russia collapsed by 58.8 in 2022, the Association of European Businesses AEB said on Thursday, as the industry reels from the impact of Western sanctions on Moscow.

Several Russian auto makers suspended production for periods of last year as the industry struggled to source parts and establish new supply chains following the imposition of the sanctions over Moscow39;s military actions in Ukraine.

The issues with sanctions and unprecedented pressure on the Russian market on all fronts, of course, could not but affect the automotive industry, the head of the AEB39;s automobile committee, Alexey Kalitsev, told a briefing.

Highprofile Western auto manufacturers such as Renault also left the market, making the industry previously heavily reliant on Western investment and hightech equipment one of the hardest hit by the fallout from the conflict.

At one point major manufacturer Avtovaz was selling Lada cars without airbags or antilock braking systems ABS due to parts shortages.

Prices for cars have also risen significantly in Russia a fact which remains the main deterrent to a sales rebound, Kalitsev said. Retail sales slumped across the Russian economy in 2022 amid a recession, price instability and heightened uncertainty.

Total car sales for the year came in at 687,370, compared to more than 1.6 million in 2021, the AEB said. In the month of December, sales were down 50.2. The figures do not include sales of BMW, MercedesBenz and…