Japan's Nissan Motor Company opened on Tuesday a car plant in St. Petersburg at a ceremony attended by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, RIA Novosti reports.
Putin took the Nissan executive for a ride in the first Nissan Teana car assembled in Russia.
"It's a good car - high-quality and beautiful," Putin told reporters.
Nissan announced plans to open an assembly line near Russia's second city in April 2006. Construction was formally started at a groundbreaking ceremony in July 2007.
The plant will produce 50,000 cars a year, initially the Teana model and later the Nissan X-Trail. It will employ 750 people.
Some $200 million has been invested in the project.