McDonald's Is Closing Over 800 Restaurants In Russia & It's Trying To 'Do The Right Thing'
It's one of the biggest boycotts since the Ukraine invasion began.
McDonald's logo on a building.
The golden arches of McDonald's are about to go dark across Russia.
McDonald's says it has decided to temporarily shut down all of its restaurants in Russia in response to the recent invasion of Ukraine.
The world's biggest fast-food chain announced the move on Tuesday, saying that it will "do the right thing" in the face of "needless human suffering."
McDonald's says the move will affect 850 different locations across Russia.
The company announced the decision via a press release that was first sent to McDonald's employees and franchisees.
"McDonald's has decided to temporarily close all our restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market," it said.
In a message shared to employees and franchisees, CEO Chris Kempczinski shared that McDonald's will temporarily close all restaurants and pause all operations in Russia. Click to read the message in its entirety. https://McD.to/6014KguQ8\u00a0pic.twitter.com/6jt0NnYhKz— McDonald's Corporation (@McDonald's Corporation) 1646761255
Even though they are shutting operations in Russia for now, the company acknowledged the impact its decision will have on its 62,000 Russian employees, and it's promised to continue paying their salaries.
The company has operated in Russia for over 30 years and it acknowledged that its Russian employees have "poured their heart and soul into our McDonald's brand to serve their communities."
However, they added they can't ignore what's unfolding in Ukraine.
"We join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace," McDonald's said.
The fast-food chain has also implemented measures to support its team in Ukraine by providing financial aid.
"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," said the press release.
In addition, the Ronald McDonald House Charities are currently running an operation at the border of Poland and Ukraine, where they're offering services like medical care and humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees.
Some 2 million Ukrainians have already fled the country, with most of them now taking shelter in Poland, according to the United Nations.
McDonald's is one of several international brands to temporarily pull out of Russia in response to the invasion. Nike, Netflix, Disney and Apple have also pulled back from the Russian market in recent days, as countries have hit Russia with a bunch of sanctions.
McDonald's hasn't said when it will re-open the affected restaurants.
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