Spanish fashion retailer Inditex has stopped their business Russia, closing its 502 shops and halted online sales, the company said in a statement on Saturday.

The Zara owner is following some of the biggest western brands which have suspended operations in Russia. The clothes store closures are expected to hit more than 9,000 of Inditex's employees who work in Russia.

"In the current circumstances Inditex cannot guarantee the continuity of the operations and commercial conditions in the Russian Federation and temporarily suspends its activity", the world's biggest fashion company said.

Russia's 86 Zara stores are to close from Sunday, including this one in St Petersburg.

Payment giant Paypal cited "violent military aggression in Ukraine" as the reason to shut down its services. Samsung - Russia's top supplier of smartphones - is suspending shipments over "geopolitical developments".

Other global brands, including Apple, H&M and Ikea, have already stopped selling in Russia.

Russians rush to buy furniture and household goods in Ikea before the store closes in St Petersburg

Other brands that have halted their business in Russia include:
• Apple
• Ikea
• H&M
• Boohoo
• Rolls Royce
• Burberry
• Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)
• General Motors
• Aston Martin
• Netflix