New Delhi: As Russia closes in on Ukraine capital Kyiv following its invasion of the European nation, Swedish furniture giant Ikea has announced to suspend its activities in Russia and Belarus.
This move by Ikea, which comes in response to the war in Ukraine, would affect nearly 15,000 employees, 17 stores and three production sites.
“The war has had a huge human impact already. It is also resulting in serious disruptions to supply chain and trading conditions. For all of these reasons, Ikea has decided to temporarily pause operations in Russia,” the company said in a statement to AFP.
The suspension mainly concerns Russia, where the Swedish furniture giant has been present since 2000 and is one of the largest Western employers.
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Ikea said the operations would also be halted in Belarus though the nation hosts only a few suppliers and has no shops.
“The devastating war in Ukraine is a human tragedy, and our deepest empathy and concerns are with the millions of people impacted,” the company said.
Ikea said “these decisions have a direct impact on 15,000 Ikea co-workers, and the company groups will secure employment and income stability and provide support to them and their families in the region”.
Meanwhile, Spirits company Diageo (DGE.L), the maker of Smirnoff vodka and Guinness, on Thursday paused the exports to Ukraine and Russia.
“Our priority is the safety of our people in Ukraine and the wider region,” a company spokesperson said, Reuters reported.