ANKARA

Toy production company The Lego Group on Tuesday announced that it has stopped commercial operations in Russia indefinitely due to the war in Ukraine.

"Given the continued extensive disruption in the operating environment, we have decided to indefinitely cease commercial operations in Russia," the company said in a statement sent via email.

"This includes ending employment for most of our Moscow-based team and our partnership with Inventive Retail Group who owned and operated 81 stores on the brand’s behalf," it said.

The Danish firm had paused shipments to Russia in March shortly after the war broke out. It had also made a commitment of $16.5 million to emergency relief efforts, with a focus on providing support for children and families.

Major companies from various sectors around the world have announced the suspension of their operations and withdrawal from the Russian market since the war began on Feb. 24.

The Western countries have imposed heavy sanctions on hundreds of Russian companies and individuals.