THE McDonalds group released a statement this Monday (16), informing that it will abandon the Russian market and that it has started a process to sell the chain of eateries across the country, after years of activities. “The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the unpredictable environment to operate there, led McDonald’s to conclude that the business in Russia is not sustainable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values”, points out a note that was distributed to the press. American and international.
The group’s executive director, Chris Kempczinski, indicated in a note that he was proud of the more than 60 thousand employees on Russian territory. and that the decision taken was “extremely difficult”. “Our commitment to our values means that we can no longer stand there,” said the McDonald’s representative.
The group’s departure has a great symbolic and economic weight, because the ‘fast food’ chain was one of the first western brands to establish itself in Moscow, in 1990, shortly before the disintegration of the Soviet Union. McDonald’s presence in Russia ended up becoming a symbol of the end of the Cold War.
On March 8, even before the official start of the so-called “special military operation” authorized by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the group had announced the temporary stoppage of activities in Russia, with the closure of about 850 snack bars. Since then, however, McDonald’s has continued to pay employees’ salaries in Russia. Today, the group indicated that it will continue to make payments until the business transaction is closed.
