Compare the Market stops adverts with Russian meerkat from appearing around news bulletins due to Ukraine invasion
COMPARE the Market have pulled adverts featuring its Russian meerkat Aleksandr Orlov from appearing around news bulletins due to the Ukraine war.
The comparison website said it wanted to be "sensitive" to when the adverts featuring the fictional character are broadcast.
It is reviewing when they appear to make sure they don't clash with news bulletins or run at inappropriate times.
Compare the Market's meerkat has become famous for its "Simples!" catchphrase.
It was credited with helping the company boost visitors to its website by 80 per cent when it first launched in 2009.
The character of Aleksandr is 'chief executive' of Compare the Meerkat, other characters include head of IT Sergei and meerpup Oleg.
Sanctions on Russia include a clampdown on oligarchs who have made Britain their home, piling pressure on the brand to retire its mascot.
A spokesperson from comparethemarket.com said: “The Compare the Market meerkats are fictional characters. They have no association with Russia and the current situation.”
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“We are continually reviewing our advertising to ensure we’re being sensitive to the current situation.”
The UK, US and EU have ratcheted up sanctions against Russia in recent days.
They have gone as far as banning certain Russian banks from accessing financial messaging service SWIFT and not allowing any of the country's aircraft from landing or departing and flying over EU territory.
A run on Russian banks has begun as Western sanctions send the ruble into freefall.
Pictures show long queues outside cash machines in St Petersburg as locals race against time to withdraw their life savings before it's all wiped out.
Fears over an economic collapse in Russia continue to grow as Western sanctions begin to bite, threatening to wipe out the ruble's buying power and destroy the savings of ordinary Russians.
Russia's central bank hiked interest rates from 9.5 percent to over 20 percent in a bid to stop a run on the country's currency, the ruble.
