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TOKYO: Toyota has announced that will end vehicle production in Russia.

Toyota suspended manufacturing operations at the Saint Petersburg in March due to the interruption in supply of key materials and parts. Since then, it has been monitoring the situation and evaluating the future sustainability of its business in Russia.

Toyota hoped to resume work at the plant and retained its workforce in anticipation of re-starting production, but Russia’s war in Ukraine has made that impossible.

The company issued a statement that said: “We have not been able to resume normal activities and see no indication that we can re-start in the future. The decision to terminate production of Toyota vehicles in Russia is not one that we have taken lightly.”

“We must now act in a way that allows us to protect the values and principles that our predecessors built up and be confident that we can pass them on to the next generation.”

Toyota has not given up on Russia entirely. It plans to restructure operations to “retain an effective organization to continue supporting the retail network in providing ongoing service to existing Toyota and Lexus customers in Russia.”

Toyota said it will offer assistance to its workers for re-employment.