The opening of McDonald’s in Russia 32 years ago was a historical moment because it showed the end of the Cold War.
McDonald’s is leaving Russia now due to President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
But McDonald’s is still in China.
McDonald’s closed its restaurants in Russia in March. The company said it would only be temporary.
“This is a complicated issue that’s without precedent and with profound consequences,” Chris Kempczinski, the chief executive of McDonald’s, wrote in a message to franchises, employees and suppliers that was obtained by The New York Times.He added: “Some might argue that providing access to food and continuing to employ tens of thousands of ordinary citizens is surely the right thing to do. But it is impossible to ignore the humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine. And it is impossible to imagine the Golden Arches representing the same hope and promise that led us to enter the Russian market 32 years ago.”McDonald’s plans to sell its business, which employs 62,000 people and includes 850 restaurants (including those run by franchisees), to a local buyer. It will “de-arch” those restaurants, meaning they will no longer use the McDonald’s name, logo or branding. McDonald’s said in a statement that its “priorities include seeking to ensure the employees of McDonald’s in Russia continue to be paid until the close of any transaction and that employees have future employment with any potential buyer.” It will retain its trademarks in Russia.As result of the move, McDonald’s will record a write-off of $1.2 billion to $1.4 billion and recognize “foreign currency translation losses,” the company said in the statement.
A news report from January 1990.
Putin patsy Aleksandr Lukashenko will place “special operations troops” on the border it shares with Ukraine:
Belarus will deploy special operations troops along its border with Ukraine and send air defence, artillery and missile units to training ranges in the west of the country, Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.The MoD announced the development on Monday morning, saying: “The presence of Belarusian forces near the border will likely fix Ukrainian troops, so they cannot deploy in support of operations in the Donbas”.Belarusia’s forces have not been directly involved in the conflict, though its territory was used as a staging post for Russia’s initial advance on Ukraine’s capital and Chernihiv. Russia has also launched air sorties and missile strikes from Belarus.”Belarusian President Lukashenko is likely balancing support for Russia’s invasion with a desire to avoid direct military participation with the risk of Western sanctions, Ukrainian retaliation and possible dissatisfaction in the Belarusian military,” the MoD added.The presence of Belarusian troops near the border may keep Ukrainian troops pinned down there, preventing them from moving to support the counteroffensive in the Donbas, Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland.
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