he logo of French cosmetics group L’Oreal in the western Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret, France, February 7, 2020. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

PARIS, March 8 (Reuters) – Cosmetics giant L’Oreal will temporarily close its own stores and directly operate counters in department stores in Russia as well as its e-commerce sites in the country, it said on Tuesday. citing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“We strongly condemn the Russian invasion and the war in Ukraine, which cause so much suffering to the Ukrainian people,” the French company said in a statement.

The world’s largest cosmetics company also said it would suspend all industry and domestic media investment in Russia and consider additional measures while seeking to take care of its 2,200 employees in the country.

L’Oréal has 326 Ukrainian employees, the majority of whom remain in their country in what it describes as “increasingly unbearable conditions”.

“We are concerned for them and fear for their safety,” the company added.

The group is donating 5 million euros ($5.44 million) to international and regional aid organizations as well as United Nations agencies providing humanitarian aid.

($1 = 0.9194 euros)

Reporting by Mimosa Spencer Writing by Benoit Van Overstraeten Editing by GV De Clercq and David Goodman

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