How German hypermarket chain Globus avoids Putin’s nationalizations and keeps expanding in wartime Russia

Many Western companies remain in Russia. More than 2,000 are German, according to estimates by the Kyiv School of Economics’ Leave Russia project. But almost all try to keep a low profile, attracting little attention either in Russia or at home. When asked directly, they condemn Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The Globus hypermarket chain and its main owner, German billionaire Thomas Bruch, take a somewhat different approach. Even during the full-scale war, the company has continued to open new stores in Russia, while Bruch has continued to call on Berlin to engage in dialogue with Moscow