Renault suspends work at Moscow factory

French car giant Renault announced it was immediately suspending operations at its Moscow factory after Kyiv called for a boycott of the company for remaining in Russia.

Renault is also considering "the possible options" for its Russian affiliate AvtoVAZ, the company said in a statement, adding that it had downgraded its 2022 financial outlook.

"Renault Group has to revise its 2022 financial outlook with a Group operating margin of around 3 percent versus at least 4 percent previously," it said.

Ukraine's foreign minister called for a global boycott of Renault over its earlier refusal to leave the Russian market in the aftermath of the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine. 

"Renault refuses to pull out of Russia," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said on Twitter ahead of Renault's announcement. "I call on customers and businesses around the globe to boycott Group Renault."  

Renault, in its statement issued later, said the group's "activities in its manufacturing plant in Moscow are suspended". 

Partly state-owned Renault had suspended its production at its plants near Moscow last month after Russia's invasion but subsequently resumed production according to reports.

Russia's top automaker, AvtoVAZ is part of the Renault-Nissan group.

Western carmakers have ventured into Russia to assemble cars over the past two decades as the country's economy expanded.

Renault is particularly exposed as it invested in AvtoVAZ alongside Rostec, a state-owned defence conglomerate run by a sanctioned close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Renault controls 69 percent of AvtoVAZ.

"Regarding its stake in AvtoVAZ, Renault Group is assessing the available options, taking into account the current environment, while acting responsibly towards its 45,000 employees in Russia," the statement said.

The company said that it is complying with international sanctions on Russia.