ANKARA 

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) announced Thursday it has suspended trading of 27 companies with strong links to Russia.

The companies include Russia's largest private lender, Sberbank, and its biggest oil and natural gas producing firms Rosneft and Gazprom.

Russia’s steel and mining major Severstal and gold mining firm Polyus are also on the list, which are among the biggest in their industries.

The move was taken "in light of market conditions and in order to maintain orderly markets," LSE said in a statement.