Part 10/15:
The Paperwork and Legal Nightmare
The influx of these vehicles created a legal quagmire. Many zero-kilometer imports arrived in Russia with falsified mileage and tampered VIN records to evade customs duties. When Russia tightened import regulations in April 2024—requiring proper customs clearance and proof of taxes paid—the facade crumbled. Hundreds of thousands of vehicles found themselves unregistrable, uninsured, and undriveable, leaving owners with stranded assets and mounting debts.