After more than a month of defying public pressure by continuing to do business in Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine, Koch Industries now says it's crafting an escape route. Koch President Dave Robertson told employees in a memo that Guardian Glass, a subsidiary of the Wichita, Kansas, industrial conglomerate, is working with its local managers in Russia "to find an exit strategy" that also ensures the safety of their employees. "Sanctions announced in early April, combined with the Russian government's response and other actions, have made conditions untenable for Guardian to continue operations in Russia," Robertson, who is also chief operating officer at Koch, said in the memo, which was posted Thursday on the company's website. Koch, the second-largest privately owned business in America with $115 billion in annual revenue, had drawn criticism for continuing to operate and sell products in Russia despite that nation's assault on Ukrainian cities. More than 750 companies have said they're voluntarily curtailing operations in Russia to some degree beyond the minimum legally required by international sanctions, while others continue undeterred.
