PARIS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Kering is like other luxury groups still paying store rents and employees in Russia, its finance chief said on Thursday, although it does not expect to resume operations there in the short or medium term.

"We have to protect our brand and our trademark in the country, and to do that you have to be there," Jean-Marc Duplaix told analysts on a conference call.

But he said the company was monitoring the situation and remained ready to "take action" if needed. (Reporting by Silvia Aloisi, editing by Mimosa Spencer)