Soon in Russian hands? McDonald’s restaurant in Moscow
Bild: picture alliance/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Companies that want to leave Russia are now even being threatened with the arrest of managers. And the Kremlin is acting as if the exodus isn’t a problem, even though default is looming with partially frozen assets.
SEver since it became known that McDonald’s plans to close its restaurants in Russia for three months because of the war against Ukraine, the Kremlin has been trying to ridicule the Russians’ grief. On Sunday, many state media reported that a man weighing 270 kilos had handcuffed himself to the front door of the branch that was the first to bring burgers and fries to the then Soviet capital in 1990. A crude “manifesto” by the demonstrator was also quoted, in which he accused the West of restricting his way of life and freedom with the sanctions. However, the action had no further consequences; McDonald’s confirmed on Monday that the branches in Russia would remain closed from Tuesday for the time being.
Or they may never open again, at least not in the way many poorer Russians have grown fond of, who happily ate there on weekend trips to overpriced central Moscow. Because the Russian government is openly threatening Western companies that withdraw from Russia with expropriation: According to a draft law, companies that are more than 25 percent owned by representatives of “unfriendly states”, i.e. the countries that have imposed sanctions against Russia be placed under external management. President Vladimir Putin backed the plans last week. The government will hand over the companies to those who “actually want to work,” Putin said, and there are enough “legal and market instruments” for that.