France's Auchan Group, which is developing the eponymous hypermarket chain around the world, has decided to transfer Auchan Simferopol hypermarket to the management of Auchan LLC (Moscow, Russia) from the management of Auchan Hypermarket Ukraine LLC (Kyiv), the press service of Auchan Hypermarket Ukraine told Interfax-Ukraine on Monday.

"The hypermarket in Simferopol is working in the usual regime and servicing clients. Auchan Group has decided to transfer the store to the management to Russia to ensure its further operation and only in the interests of clients," the press service said.

Auchan Ukraine Hypermarket said that the hypermarket in Simferopol will be temporarily closed from April 30.

The company added that the group plans to open it in the near term, adding that the date of the planned opening of the hypermarket announced in media reports – May 20 – is not correct, as it has not yet been defined.

"All jobs will be retained," the press service said.

Auchan Hypermarket Ukraine opened its first hypermarket in Crimea in February 2014.

The Auchan Simferopol hypermarket with a gross area of 10,000 square meters is located in the South Gallery mall at 189, Kyivska Street in Simferopol.

A first hypermarket in Ukraine was opened by Auchan Group in late March 2008.

As of April 28, 2014, the Auchan chain in Ukraine had 11 Auchan hypermarkets: five in Kyiv, one each in Makiyivka (Donetsk region), Kryvy Rih, Zaporizhia, Sololnyky (Lviv region), Fontanka (Odesa region) and Simferopol (Crimea).

Auchan also united three retail galleries: two in Kyiv (Auchan Petrivka mall and Auchan Bilychi mall) and one in Makiyivka (Auchan Donskoy mall).

Auchan Hypermarket Ukraine CEO Gerard Gallet said in October 2012 that the company assesses the development potential in 500-1,000 hypermarkets and from 2014 the group plans to open two outlets every year in Ukraine.

Auchan Group was founded in 1961 and it is present in 12 countries.