Bild estimates number of German companies remaining in Russia
About 1,400 companies with "German roots" – subsidiaries of German firms in which German individuals and entities hold controlling stakes – continue to operate in Russia. This is reported by Bild, citing data from the Delegation of German Business in Russia.
The combined turnover of these companies in 2024 was around €20bn. A number of large German companies give the reason for their presence in the Russian market after the start of the military operation in 2022 as responsibility to their employees.
For example, the Metro wholesale group still has 91 stores in Russia. In an interview with Bild, a spokesperson for the company said it was responsible for about 8,000 employees. The Russian business, he said, which retained "importance for the group's overall portfolio", brought in revenue of €2.4bn in the 2023-2024 financial year.
Cheese producer Hochland also named social responsibility to its personnel (about 1,800 in Russia) and their families as the reason for its attitude. Beiersdorf's Nivea and Eucerin brands, which comprise cosmetics, also remain in Russia, although their product range has been significantly trimmed. Beiersdorf explained that they continue to co-operate with Russia to ensure supply and also because of their responsibility to employees on the ground. In 2024, Russia accounted for 1.5% of the group's global turnover.
Companies producing medical products have said that their subsidiaries in Russia continue to operate there because of their responsibility to patients. For example, medical equipment manufacturer B. Braun said that its business in Russia is limited to "primary health care for the civil population," referring to the life-saving treatment of chronically ill people. The transnational science and technology company Merck&Co told Bild that it limited its business in Russia to "essential healthcare services in the interests of patients".
From March 2022 to the end of 2024, 62% of Western companies left the Russian market, analysts from the Kept auditing and consulting firm estimated in spring. The decision to leave Russia was mostly frequently taken by companies from Northern Europe, with Italians leaving the least often.
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29.10.25