INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Swedish furniture giant Ikea said Thursday it would suspend its activities in Russia and Belarus, affecting nearly 15,000 employees, 17
stores and three production sites, in response to the war in Ukraine."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 group has been present since 2000 and is one of the largest Western employers.Operations in
Belarus would also be halted, though the country hosts only a few suppliers and has no shops, according to Ikea."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."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," Ikea said.While the stores operated by the Ingka group account for the bulk of the
workforce affected, 12,000 people, Ikea also has nearly 2,500 employees working in manufacturing, with three factories in Russia.According
to the company, 47 suppliers in Russia and 10 in Belarus, would be affected by the decision, which also puts a stop to imports and exports
met with criticism in Sweden.
