Armenia funnels US cars to Russia, in sanctions’ evasion

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and unprecedented Western sanctions levied on Moscow have created a business opportunity for used car dealers like 31-year-old Yaroslav Kolchenko, who sips a coffee in the sun near the queue.

The US and the EU have banned the export of vehicles to Russia but cars can still be cleared through Armenia, and Kolchenko stands to gain.

“Today even wealthy Russians only have access to used American cars brought to Russia via Armenia,” he told AFP.

The native of Saint Petersburg…