A worker cleans the floor at a showroom in the headquarters of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province August 2, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]?

KIEV -- Chinese carmaker Geely took the lead in passenger car sales in Ukraine, snatching 12.4 percent of the market share in January, the Auto-Consulting Analysis Group reported Tuesday.

"Geely continues to play the leading role in sales for the second month in a row. This indicates a new trend in Ukrainian market," the industry body said in a statement.

In January 2014, the Chinese brand saw its passenger car sales in the Ukrainian market hit 1,356 units, up 44.26 percent year on year, said the statement.

Japan's Toyota and Ukraine's ZAZ followed with a sales volume of 1,253 units and 860 vehicles respectively.

Car sales in Ukraine rose by 4.3 percent year on year in January to stand at 10,950 units, according to the group. In 2013, a total of 346,746 vehicles were sold in Ukraine, down 4.5 percent from a year earlier.