Russia Wants to Declare Renault Logo a Fascist Symbol

Following the announcement that Renault was in line to work in partnership with a French defense company to manufacture drones in Ukraine a member of Russia’s State Duma put forward a motion to declare the company’s logo as a fascist symbol.

French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced shortly after the 28th “Ramstein” Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on June 4 the possibility of a new partnership between a French car manufacturer and a French SME defense company to produce unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Ukraine, which he described as a “win-win partnership.”

At the time he declined to identify the companies involved but on Sunday it was declared that the motor constructor was indeed Renault which has its headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, although a spokesperson for the company said that the plan was still under discussion and nothing had been signed. In a statement to Reuters Renault said:

“The Defense Ministry has contacted us about the possibility of producing drones. Discussions have taken place, but no decision has been taken at this stage as we are waiting for more details from the ministry on this project.”

Nevertheless, Russia’s Ria Novosti reported on Tuesday that Mikhail Sheremet a deputy from annexed Crimea and member of Russia’s Security Committee called for Renault’s logo to be declared a fascist symbol because, as he put it, the company’s management “cannot help but know that the Ukrainian Armed Forces deliberately uses its drones to attack civilian targets and kill civilians in Russian regions.”

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‘Saving Kyiv Regime Is Not Our Plan’: Putin Rejects Ukraine Proposal To Limit Long-Range Strikes

Speaking to a Russian state television interviewer, Putin said Ukraine had suggested a mutual halt to long-range strikes as a step toward de-escalation.

This is of course the exact opposite of the true situation. As German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told US President Donald Trump when they met in Washington last week – Ukraine was targeting military assets while it was Russia that continued to strike civilian areas in Ukraine’s cities.

Nexta TV said on X on Tuesday that if Sheremet’s bill was adopted the owners of Renault cars could face fines or have their vehicles confiscated for displaying the prohibited symbol and all Renault cars could be banned from use throughout Russia.

Nexta speculated that the action was merely a pretext and part of a wider policy of isolating and applying pressure to those Western brands that withdrew from Russia following its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Renault officially withdrew from Russia in May 2022, announcing the sale of its stake in its AvtoVAZ company to a Russian-owned entity for a symbolic 1 ruble, while retaining an option to buy back its stake within six years.