Mercedes-Benz registered the trademark "Mercedes-Benz" in Russia, a TASS correspondent found out on March 18. The application was submitted to Rospatent on September 10, 2025 from Germany by Mercedes-Benz Group AG. The trademark is registered under two classes of the ICGS — cars of various types and their repair. This is not the first time the concern has applied to Rospatent: in 2025, Mercedes-Benz also applied for registration of the S 600 trademark and two logos. The concern suspended deliveries of passenger cars to Russia and production on its territory in March 2022.
Why Mercedes-Benz is registering a brand in Russia without deliveries
The head of Rospatent, Yuri Zubov, explained in an interview with TASS: well-known foreign brands are trying to ensure both registration and extension of their trademarks in Russia. A trademark is registered to protect against counterfeiting — so that no one sells goods under the guise of the copyright holder's products.
A representative of Avtodom Group — the company that now owns the former Mercedes plant in the Moscow region — confirmed this logic: brand registration is a protective step to preserve copyright, and not a signal of a return to the market. Avtodom added that they maintain contact with their German colleagues, but there is no talk of car deliveries yet.
Chronology of Mercedes-Benz's presence in Russia
- March 2022: suspension of passenger car deliveries and production in Russia
- 2022: sale of the plant in the Moscow region — the asset was transferred to Avtodom Group
- September 2025: filing applications to Rospatent for the S 600 trademark and two logos
- September 2025: filing an application for registration of the Mercedes-Benz trademark
- March 2026: the Mercedes-Benz trademark is registered in Russia
The practice of registering trademarks in Russia by Western companies that have suspended operations is systematic — dozens of brands are doing this. Maintaining the rights to a trademark allows the copyright holder, in any case, to control the use of its brand in the market and exclude the appearance of counterfeit products under a well-known name.
