French retailer Leroy Merlin says to quit Russia

French DIY retailer Leroy Merlin said Friday it would exit Russia, ending an 18-year presence that came under intense scrutiny after President Vladimir Putin’s army invaded Ukraine last year.

Unlike western companies that hurried to disengage from Russia after the attack, Leroy Merlin defiantly resisted calls to leave the country, saying it owed it to customers to keep them supplied and to local staff to keep them in work.