McDonald's has announced the temporary closure of all its Russian restaurants following international pressure. The pause in operations is part of an ongoing backlash against the country following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
The move comes later than some, as Netflix, Apple and Levi's have all previously announced a withdrawal from Russia. McDonald's had been accused of profiting while Ukraine suffers
Calls to boycott the restaurant chain have been widely shared on social media in recent days, amid pressure to tighten the screws on the Russian economy in protest over the war, reports MirrorOnline.
In an email to staff today (Tuesday), McDonald's chief executive Chris Kempczinski wrote: "The conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Europe has caused unspeakable suffering to innocent people. As a system, we join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace."
His message continued: "In recent days, I have spoken with and heard from many in our system about our operations in Russia. The situation is extraordinarily challenging for a global brand like ours, and there are many considerations.
"For 66 years, we have operated with the belief that communities are made better when there’s a McDonald’s nearby. In Russia, we employ 62,000 people who have poured their heart and soul into our McDonald’s brand to serve their communities.
"We work with hundreds of local, Russian suppliers and partners who produce the food for our menu and support our brand. And we serve millions of Russian customers each day who count on McDonald’s.
"In the thirty-plus years that McDonald’s has operated in Russia, we’ve become an essential part of the 850 communities in which we operate. At the same time, our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine."
He said affected staff in Russia would continue to have their salaries paid. The Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) will continue to operate in both Russia and Ukraine, the company announced.
Mr Kempczinski acknowledged that the chain had been hampered by supply chain issues in recent days.
He wrote: "As we move forward, McDonald’s will continue to assess the situation and determine if any additional measures are required. At this juncture, it’s impossible to predict when we might be able to reopen our restaurants in Russia.
"We are experiencing disruptions to our supply chain along with other operational impacts. We will also closely monitor the humanitarian situation."
Many companies have begun to pull their business out of Russia amid sanctions and outrage over the invasion of Ukraine. Calls for more companies to follow suit are growing.
Labour MP Chris Bryant said it was “appalling” that the firms “won’t do the right thing”. He added: “Some of these multinationals have lost their moral compass.”
Lib Dem Leader Ed Davey added: “Too many Western companies seem to think it’s business as usual despite Putin’s horrific invasion of Ukraine."
