With Volkswagen, BMW, Hyundai, and Toyota all halting output at their Russian plants after Western governments-imposed sanctions, brands like Great Wall Haval, Chery, and Geely may serve the potential vacuum since the China has yet to place sanctions, thus allowing its businesses to continue operating there.

According to Bernstein Bank, a senior analyst focusing on Asian autos said that in the event U.S. and European Union sanctions on Russia stay for a prolonged period of time and U.S. and European carmakers become effectively prohibited from doing business in Russia, there is potential for Chinese automakers to gain share in the Russia market.

Great Wall builds vehicles in Russia at a plant in Tula state, close to Moscow, while Geely has a factory in Russia-aligned Belarus.

Chery has been in talks with a local plant to assemble cars in Russia as well.

Haval was Russia’s 12th best-selling brand in 2021 with 39,126 sales. Chery was No. 13 with volume of 37,118 and Geely was No. 16 with 24,587, according to figures from the Moscow-based Association of European Businesses (AEB).

In February, Haval and Chery were the 10th and 11th best-selling brands, respectively, according to AEB. Geely was 13th, while Chery’s upmarket Chery Exceed brand was No. 19, ahead of Toyota’s Lexus. The Haval Jolion compact crossover was the country’s 16th best-selling model.