The global fast-food chain McDonald’s has announced it is temporarily closing all 850 locations inside Russia, as the number rises of Western businesses that abandon Russia after its unprovoked invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
“The conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Europe has caused unspeakable suffering to innocent people,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a statement obtained by RFE/RL.
“McDonald’s has decided to temporarily close all our restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market,” the statement said.
The burger giant said it will continue paying its 62,000 employees in Russia, “who have poured their heart and soul into our McDonald’s brand.”
Kempczinski also said the U.S.-based corporation continued to support its employees in Ukraine, including paying “full salaries,” and contributing $5 million to an employee assistance fund. McDonald’s has also temporarily closed 108 restaurants in Ukraine.
Unlike other big fast-food brands in Russia that are owned by franchisees — including KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, and Burger King — McDonald’s owns 84 percent of its Russian locations.
Yum Brands, the parent company of KFC and Pizza Hut, said on March 7 that it was donating all of the profits from its 1,050 restaurants in Russia to humanitarian efforts. It has also suspended new restaurant development in the country.
Starbucks also announced on March 8 that it would pause all business activity in Russia, including shipments and cafe operations.
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo also announced late on March 8 that they would temporarily halt all business operations in Russia as well.
Many corporations have ceased operations in the country to protest the Ukraine invasion. Among them is consumer-goods conglomerate Unilever, which on March 8 said it had suspended all imports and exports of its products into and out of Russia, and that it will not invest any further capital into the country.
