St. Petersburg's car plants could face closure as Turkish auto components are stranded at the border after the introduction of Russian sanctions against the country, the Interfax news agency reported Friday, citing the city's deputy head Sergei Movchan.
Since Russia imposed sanctions on Turkey last month over the downing of its warplane near the Syrian border, Turkish goods have been blocked from entering Russia. This is causing difficulties for St.Petersburg's car plants and suppliers, Movchan said in a letter to Russia's Federal Customs Service, Interfax reported, citing a source familiar with the letter.
If the plants continue to experience supply problems, St. Petersburg's plants will be forced to halt production, Movchan said, according to the source.
Car manufacturing is one of the main industries in St. Petersburg, according to Movchan.
The city's auto plants employ about 8,000 people and the St. Petersburg car industry accounts for about 24 percent of all Russian passenger car production, he said in the letter.