But bluechip companies such as Renault have followed major international peers such as Apple and McDonald's by selling their local operations.
The Mulliez family company, based in the industrial northern town of Roubaix, argued that Auchan was remaining in order to sell "essential food items" to Russian consumers.
Ukraine's government and many campaigners believe Western companies have a moral imperative to quit the country given Putin's war of aggression.
Despite some highly public departures, only a small number of Western companies actually deserted Russia last year, according to a Swiss study published in January.
Researchers at the University of St Gallen and at the IMD institute in Lausanne said that less than 10 percent of EU and G7 companies with Russian subsidiaries had divested them.
The experience of some western companies shows that fears of major pullout losses can be justified.
French bank Societe Generale had to book a charge of more than three billion euros ($3.2 billion) stemming from its decision to spin off its Russian retail bank Rosbank.
Source: AFP
