OREANDA-NEWS. February 5, 2009. Domestic car sales have plunged in early 2009. However, automotive companies are talking about new opportunities as a result of ruble devaluation. Passenger vehicle sales reached some 100,000 units, which is much lower than expected, the president of Russia’s largest car maker AvtoVAZ Boris Aleshin said Wednesday. “I have no precise figures, but I believe this is the case”, said Aleshin.