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McDonald’s in Russia is Back. Now it’s Even Better
How are the world’s largest corporations reacting or not reacting to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? We will focus on this issue and try to explore the McDonald’s case. It’s clear that boycotting business in Russia isn’t black and white. If you deal with the Russian authorities and work in the Russian market, different shades are always possible. Taking every opportunity to preserve profits, Western companies are also playing games in ‘shades of red’. Many of them claim they have cut ties with the Russian Federation but, in fact, continue with some activities or with promises to exit. Moreover, some companies are waiting to see if they will be forced by their governments to exit Russia and, if so, they may pretend they behave morally. On the contrary, the others do the same of their own accord.
McDonald’s suspended operations in Russia and closed its restaurants on March 14, but some franchised establishments continued to operate for the past three months. Russian authorities have already repeatedly stated that McDonald’s will be replaced by domestic fast food restaurants that will open under the new brand. In turn, the pragmatically-minded management of the American fast food company said it was looking for a buyer for its Russian business. And such a “lucky buyer” was quickly found.