McDonald’s to Finally Leave Russia

Fast food giant McDonald’s has announced that it will sell its Russia business after previously pausing operations in the country amid the Ukraine war.

The announcement comes a little more than two months after the company paused operations in the country due to its invasion of Ukraine.

McDonald’s said its “continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values.”

The global leading fast food company first opened in Russia 32 years ago. It has more than 800 restaurants and 62,000 employees in Russia.

The company said it is seeking a local buyer.

“The humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonald’s to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonald’s values,” the company said in a news release.

Russian forces have been accused of an array of war crimes in their attack on Ukraine.

“We have a commitment to our global community and must remain steadfast in our values,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said in Monday’s release. “And our commitment to our values means that we can no longer keep the Arches shining there.”

The company said it would start the process of “de-Arching” restaurants in Russia, meaning it would remove its name, logos, menus and branding from those locations. It will retain its trademarks in Russia, however, the company added.

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