MINSK, May 12. /TASS/. The French producer and retailer of goods for sport and leisure Decathlon has not yet announced intention to wind down or sell business in Russia despite the information on sale of several stores, Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Yevtukhov told reporters, adding that the company continues paying rent and its employees’ wages.

"As of today, Deсathlon has not announced intention to sell business in Russia. Indeed, the company’s activities have been suspended, though it pays wages to employees and pays rent where it has rented premises," he said.

Earlier, a source in the press service of Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry told TASS that Decathlon, which has suspended operations in Russia, had received regulatory bodies’ permission to sell some stores of the chain in Russia that are not strategic for the company.