Moscow mall opens for Russian business after big brand exodus

There are few overt signs in the Russian capital that the mood needs lifting

Western fashion brands are conspicuous by their absence at a gleaming new shopping centre on the outskirts of Moscow - and customers say they scarcely miss them, Qazet.az reports.

Following Moscow's decision to send thousands of troops into Ukraine at the end of February, international fashion brands from Adidas (ADSGn.DE) to Zara (ITX.MC) have paused operations in Russia, while Nike (NKE.N) is one of the handful to commit to a definitive exit from the market.

"I am neutral on this, whether we have them or not," shopper Alexandra Moskunova told Reuters at the mall in Khovrino. "I can happily do without them."

Another customer, Irina Stakhanova, said: "I only really liked H&M and another one that I can't remember. It's not that I need foreign things, I just need something that fits me and looks good, to lift the mood."

There are few overt signs in the Russian capital that the mood needs lifting. Buskers sing and play, restaurant terraces spill onto the pavement and, as temperatures topped 30 degrees Celsius (86°F), Muscovites cooled off in a fountain near the Kremlin.