Car manufacturer AvtoVAZ has resumed production following the New Year’s break and returned its employees to a five-day workweek after reducing operations last year, the head of the company’s trade union told the Interfax news agency on Monday.
In late September, Russia’s largest automaker cut wages, laid off employees and shortened its work schedule to four days in response to falling sales.
AvtoVAZ had initially expected to return its employees to a five-day workweek this coming March, but CEO Maxim Sokolov in October signaled that a quicker resumption of regular operations could take place as the company sought to clear excess inventory.
Sokolov told trade union representatives last month that the five-day workweek would return starting in January. In Russia, Jan. 1-11 is a federal holiday coinciding with New Year’s.
In 2025, AvtoVAZ reduced production of its Lada brand cars from an original 500,000 vehicles to around 300,000.
Overall, Lada sales fell 25% year-on-year in the first 11 months of 2025, reducing the brand’s market share to 25.1%, according to market research firm Avtostat.
“The market was sluggish in 2025,” Sokolov said in early December.
AvtoVAZ plans to produce around 400,000 vehicles this year.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
