McDonald’s are temporarily closing all of its 850 restaurants in Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
In an open letter to employees, McDonald’s President and CEO Chris Kempckinski said “Our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine,” and that closing them now is the “right thing to do”.
He added: “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.”
The email continued: “Across the rest of Europe, we will stay focused on how McDonald’s can best help those in need, both now and in the future. We have already seen extraordinary leadership by our Ukrainian and Russian teams, and I know the rest of the McDonald’s System stands ready to support the large number of refugees who have been displaced by this conflict.”
McDonald’s said it will continue paying its 62,000 employees in Russia. It is not known how long the closures will be in place for at this time.
