McDonald’s hits Russia hard over its invasion of Ukraine

McDonald’s hits Russia hard for the war it has unleashed in Ukraine.

The world-famous restaurant chain has decided to close its operations in Russia.

We cannot simply ignore the «unnecessary human suffering in Ukraine,» the company said

PUNISHMENT AFTER PUNISHMENT FOR RUSSIA. In addition to the sanctions imposed by the US government, McDonald’s hits Russia hard because of the war it has unleashed in Ukraine. The world-famous restaurant chain has decided to close its operations in Russia.

On Tuesday, McDonald’s reported that it will temporarily close its 850 restaurants in Russia, which employ some 62,000 people in the country. However, the company clarified that they will continue to pay them for the duration of the closures.

McDonald’s hits Russia hard for war against Ukraine

Photo: Twitter

McDonald’s decision stems from the collective outrage over Russian troops‘ invasion of Ukraine which has already killed thousands of Ukrainian and Russian citizens. In addition, the war has already «hit» the stores’ supply chain, which is what allows them to offer optimal service.

Chris Kempckinski, president and CEO of McDonald’s, wrote in an open letter to employees explaining that, at this time, closing stores in Russia is the right thing to do. He added that the company could not simply ignore the «unnecessary human suffering in Ukraine,» AP reported.

What will happen to McDonald’s?

Photo: Twitter

«As we move forward, McDonald’s will continue to assess the situation and determine if any additional measures are required,» explained the manager. Kempckinski also acknowledged that, «At this juncture, it’s impossible to predict when we might be able to reopen our restaurants in Russia.»

The company does not have a fixed timeline for restoring operations in Russia, especially f the war has affected the rest of the suppliers that they depend on to function normally. «We are experiencing disruptions to our supply chain along with other operational impacts,» the company stated.

A risky decision by McDonald’s in Russia

Photo: Twitter

Kempckinski was not only concerned about the operation of the fast food chain in Russia but also expressed concern about the bloody war that is being waged in the region. «We will also closely monitor the humanitarian situation,» added the manager.

McDonald’s can, for the time being, afford to close its restaurants in Russia because 84% of its locations in the country are its own. Other fast food companies, such as KFC, Pizza Hut, and Burger King cannot make such a radical decision as they are owned by franchisees.

McDonald’s condemns Russia’s actions

Photo: Shutterstock. McDonald’s hits Russia hard for its war against Ukraine.

«The conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Europe have caused unspeakable suffering to innocent people,» the company said. «As a System, we join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace.»

In the midst of the armed conflict, McDonald’s assures that its «number one priority since the beginning of this crisis has been, and will continue to be, our people.» That is why as soon as the armed conflict broke out, the company quickly reached out to its team in Ukraine.

Help in Ukraine

Photo: File

«We are continuing to pay full salaries for our Ukrainian employees and have donated $5 million to our Employee Assistance Fund, and continue to support relief efforts led by the International Red Cross in the region,» the company said.

They also detailed that «he Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Poland Care Mobile is at the Polish-Ukrainian border to provide medical care and humanitarian aid for families and children, and another Care Mobile is on the way from RMHC Latvia.» The organization in Ukraine is also «deploying medical supplies and providing humanitarian aid throughout the country.»

Why did McDonald’s make this decision?

Photo: Shutterstock

Given the concern about why they have made such a risky decision, which will surely abruptly affect their revenue, the American company indicated that «our values ​​mean that we cannot ignore the human suffering … in Ukraine.»

«Years ago, when confronted with his own difficult decision, Fred Turner explained his approach quite simply: ‘Do the right thing.’ That philosophy is enshrined as one of our five guiding values, and there are countless examples over the years of McDonald’s Corporation living up to Fred’s simple ideal. Today, is also one of those days,» they explained.

Other companies face the same dilemma

Photo: Shutterstock

McDonald’s received a lot of pressure from the international community to make this decision. The same goes for other large international corporations, like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, that are still operating in Russia. People expect them to withdraw in protest.

This Tuesday, the Unilever conglomerate, which owns brands such as Hellmann’s and Dove, also condemned the war in Ukraine, calling it «a brutal and senseless act of the Russian state.» In view of this, it has suspended all imports and exports of its products to and from Russia, adding that it will not invest any more capital in that country. McDonald’s hits Russia hard for war against Ukraine.