Si Sihan: One and a half years at the beginning of the war, did foreign companies real

Source: Hong Kong 01

Author: Si Sihan

After the start of the Russian and Ukraine War, many large European and American companies, including IKEA, McDonald's, and Coca -Cola, have announced their withdrawal from the Russian market, but many studies have shown that only a few of the more than a thousand foreign companies operating in Russia have completely withdrew Russia.EssenceThe Russian and Ukraine War began for nearly a year and a half. Many Western companies have hindered left -behind Russia due to the dismissal of bureaucratic obstacles and financial losses. Some tried to relocate to neighboring countries to make some Central Asian countries "benefit".

The research conducted by the Institute of Economics (KSE) tracked 3,329 foreign companies, of which only 254 companies have withdrawn from Russia (7.6%), and 1381 companies are still operating normally.The research released by the University of Switzerland in January this year stated that only about 8.5%of the EU and the seven -way group companies, that is, 120 companies sold at least one subsidiary of Russia (as of the end of November last year).

Scholars responsible for research Niccolò Pisani and Simon Evenett said that Western companies leaving only 6.5%of the total profit of the European Union and G7 companies that have carried out business activities in Russia; compared with the left -behind companies, those who have been withdrawn have been withdrawn from the retired companies that have withdrawn outMarket companies often have low profitability and have a large number of employees, which makes people question whether Western companies are really willing to decide with Russia.

However, the results of Yale University's research that was widely cited last year "optimistic" is much "optimistic": including more than 1,500 foreign companies from China, India and other countries, as many as 33%(that is, 526)Stopping in Russia, 32%of them suspended all or most of them in Russia.

Partial evacuation

Mark Dixon from the M & A consulting company THE1 told the Washington Post that many companies have dismissed their capital because they publicly announced that they have withdrawn, but in fact many companies have stopped some businesses, or they have not been able to perform their departure.promise.

According to Reuters' reports at the end of March this year, although IKEA stopped sales and production activities in Russia within a few days after the start of the war, its parent company Ingka Group's 14 large shopping malls in Russia are still operating; Coca -ColaThe Group announced that it would stop production and sales in Russia, but a few months later, the Group's 10 factories were still operating to produce the "Russian" and other fruit juice drinks.

The Russian media RBC quotes analysis company PRODAZHI.RF data that the two most popular cola brands in Russia from January to February this year are Dobry Cola, followed by Coca -Cola (imported from neighboring countries).It accounts for nearly half of the total sales of similar products.

In addition, some other Western companies such as Mercedes, BMW, Apple, etc., which have stopped selling in Russia, are still sold in Russia through the gray market, and many of them flow into Russia through neighboring Central Asia such as Kazakhstan.According to the Moscow think tank AVTOSTAT, in the Russian automotive market in January this year, parallel imports accounted for 8%of all the vehicles sold, and the number increased from hundreds of to 4,000 to 5,000 in a few months.

Fisherman in Central Asian National Fisheries

Influenced by the demand for evacuation of foreign investment in Russia, Central Asian countries also profit from it.According to Nikkei Asia, companies leaving Russia are increasingly throwing their attention to Central Asia.Azerbaijan media REPORT.AZ quoted experts from experts that due to the popularity of Russian and the cost of low relocation in the local area, many IT companies are actively transferring employees to Kazakhstan and Uzbek.Russian newspaper Vedomosti reported that Apple has transferred many workers in Russia to Kyrgyz.

The Kazakh government is actively introducing companies to consider moving out of Russia.Local media quoted Almas Aidarov, deputy minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Foreign Affairs, saying that the government has invited 401 companies. As of the end of May, 67 companies agreed to transfer their business to Kazakhstan, including American car service operators, and software industry company Huo HuoTwenty -25 companies including Honeywell, Australian iron ore mininger Fortescue, and Japanese trading company Marubeni have been relocated.

A report from the European Renaissance Development Bank (EBRD) pointed out that Central Asia has benefited from high energy prices, the increase in Russian corporate migration and the increase in labor, capital and remittances, and the increase in the trade of middlemen, adjacent to Russia, connecting to connectThese oil and gas exporters in Europe will usher in rapid economic growth.The actual GDP has the largest growth in Central Asian countries, 8%(8%), Kyrgyz and Mongolia (7%each), Turkman and Uzbek (6.5%each), while Kazakh's expected growth will be 3.5%.