By Mimosa Spencer

PARIS (Reuters) – Cosmetics giant L’Oreal announced Tuesday that it was closing down its Russia stores temporarily and suspending investment in Russia. This follows dozens other Western companies who have halted their operations due to Ukraine’s invasion.

In a statement, the French company declared that they strongly condemned Russia’s invasion and war in Ukraine.

According to L’Oreal, Russia’s business includes a plant that produces cosmetics. This accounts for only a small percentage of the annual sales.

Russian companies have been under pressure from politicians to stop their operations in Russia, after the country was hit hard by severe sanctions from the United States and Britain.

L’Oreal stated that it fully supported the French and European Union positions.

Lancome, the world’s largest cosmetics company, and Maybelline are its brands. It said that it is considering further measures to care for 2,200 Russian employees.

L’Oreal currently employs 326 Ukrainian workers. Most of them remain there despite what L’Oreal described as increasingly unaffordable living conditions.

L’Oreal stated that they were concerned about their safety and provided financial support.

Additionally, the company will donate 5 million euros (or 5.4 million dollars) to aid organizations in international and regional areas as well as humanitarian agencies of United Nations.

Hermes, LVMH and Hermes are the top international luxury firms. Kering Chanel and (PA:), announced that they would temporarily close their operations in Russia this week.

French multinational Danone announced that investments were being suspended in Nigeria this weekend.

($1 = 0.9194 euros)