"We condemn any form of violence and hope that peace can quickly be re-established. Our primary concern in this crisis, is the safety of our employees and their families."

"Bridgestone has been carefully assessing the impact of this challenging situation. As a result, we decided to suspend our manufacturing activities in Russia, until further notice. The decision will take effect next Friday 18 March after the necessary preparations," the statement added.

Bridgestone employs 1000 workers in its passenger tyre production plant in the Russian city of Ulyanovsk.

The company also froze any new investments and suspended all exports to Russia with immediate effect.