Heineken has joined a growing list of global firms to halt operations in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

The largest beer manufacturer in Europe has announced it will stop the production, sale and advertising of its beer in Russia. The company operates seven breweries and employs 1800 workers in Russia. Those workers will continue to be paid, a spokesman told Brewbound.

The company had already suspended new investments and exports to Russia last week.

“We are shocked and saddened to watch the tragedy in Ukraine unfold,” Heineken chief executive Dolf van den Brink said in a statement.

“The Russian government’s war against Ukraine is an unprovoked and completely unjustified attack,” he said.

The brewer said it would take “immediate steps to ring-fence” its Russian business from the rest of its global operations “to stop the flow of monies, royalties and dividends out of Russia.”

“Heineken will no longer accept any net financial benefit derived from our Russian operations,” it said.

About 300 companies have announced their withdrawal from Russia since it invaded neighbouring Ukraine, including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Starbucks.

Pepsi. one of the first Western products that was allowed in the former Soviet Union, also announced it will no longer be sold in Russia – although it said it will continue the sale of essential items such as baby formula. 

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