American sneaker maker Nike and Swedish home furnishings firm IKEA are temporarily shutting down stores in Russia, joining a slew of Western brands, the two retail giants announced Thursday.

The move came as Western political sanctions, trade restrictions as well as supply chain disruptions pile on after Russia launched military operations in Ukraine, 

IKEA said it would close outlets in Russia and Belarus, affecting 15,000 workers, and described its shutdowns in non-political terms. After the announcement, consumers in Russia rushed to IKEA stores and queued for hours to shop, CGTN reported. 

Nike previously posted a message on its Russian website advising customers that it wasn't able to guarantee delivery for orders made online.

According to the two companies' statements, the suspension of operations is temporary, but they didn't specify when the operations would resume.

Both IKEA and Nike said that they will continue to pay salaries to support their employees in the affected region. According to a Reuters report, IKEA will continue to pay their staff in Russia for at least three months to come.  

Globally known companies including Apple, Ford and Shell have condemned Russia's military operation, but some of the announcements on Thursday were more practical, focused on supplies and sanctions as shipping routes closes and governments banned exports to Russia.

(With input from Reuters.)