Fast food chain McDonald's has announced that it will temporarily close its 850 restaurants in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine, company president Chris Kempckinski said in a letter, quoted by the AP.

The American group says it will continue to pay its 62,000 employees in Russia "who have dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to the McDonald's brand," he said, but stressed that closing the units at this point was the right thing to do.

"Given our values, we can no longer ignore the unnecessary suffering that is taking place in Ukraine," said Kempckinski, who says it is impossible to predict when it will be possible to open the restaurants again.

McDonald's has also temporarily closed about 100 restaurants on Ukrainian territory and continues to pay employees.

According to AP, according to recent financial data, the units in Russia and Ukraine weighed about 9% in the company's revenues, and unlike other chains, such as KFC, Pizza Hut and Burger King, which work on a franchise basis, McDonald's owns 84% of its Russian restaurants.

In addition, the company works with hundreds of local suppliers in Russia and serves millions of customers daily, according to AP.

The announcement comes after pressure for the company, along with other brands such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo that remain in Russia, to cease operations in the country. Many companies have already left the nation due to the invasion.

Source: Lusa