TOKYO (Reuters). Japan Tobacco (OTC) (JT), Thursday’s announcement by Russia’s Managing Director, said that the company is considering selling Russia after having suspended investment and marketing activities there last month in response to Moscow’s invasion.

JT, Russia’s market leader, made the announcement after it had announced in March that it will continue manufacturing in Russia. It has four factories in Russia and over 4,000 employees.

After many brands around the world pulled out of Ukraine, and several governments, including Japan, imposed severe sanctions on Moscow, this announcement was met with criticism. Russia called its intervention in Ukraine “special”.

JT spokeswoman said that the company was looking at various options to expand its Russian operations. However, she could not speak on possible buyers of the stake. Russia contributed approximately 8% to JT’s total revenue in the most recent fiscal year and about 15% to JT’s adjusted operating profit.

Japan’s Ministry of Finance, with a third of JT’s shares, is the largest shareholder. It generates about $1 billion each year in dividend revenues to the government.