Major Japanese trading houses are pulling employees out of Ukraine, as military tensions with Russia run high.

Japanese firms have been active in Ukraine, selling automobiles, construction machinery and agricultural materials.

The company Itochu will evacuate all three of its Japanese employees from the capital Kyiv by Sunday. The employees will be moved to other countries in the region, or returned to Japan.

Sumitomo will move several of its workers to nearby countries.

Mitsubishi says it will respond to the situation, while making the safety of its employees its top priority.