McDonald’s is closing its restaurants in Russia. This led the pianist Luka Safronov-Zatravkin to a drastic form of protest.
Russia is increasingly isolated, with almost all Western companies pulling out of the country after President Vladimir Putin gave the order to attack Ukraine. The country’s economy is feeling the effects, but also the population in their everyday lives – and some people don’t like it at all.
A man demonstrated in front of a McDonald’s branch in Moscow against the closure of the fast-food chain’s restaurants. Russian Luka Safronov-Zatravkin chained himself to the store’s door and called the company’s decision a “deprivation of liberty” and even “genocide.” Videos on Twitter show how he is then taken away by the police. Zatravkin is a pianist and son of Russian artist Nikas Safronov.
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McDonald’s burgers are “symbols of imprisonment”
McDonald’s announced on Wednesday that it would close its 850 branches in Russia. The 270-kilogram Zatravkin obviously goes against the grain: “You have no right to close,” he shouted. Zatravkin later commented on the action on Telegram. “With McDonald’s, different kinds of freedom came into my life. Freedom to choose, freedom to move, freedom to implement my own values and follow them,” the 31-year-old justified his protest.
“McDonald’s hamburgers are now becoming symbols of imprisonment,” Zatravkin continued. He criticized that the Western sanctions would primarily affect ordinary Russian citizens. On the other hand, Zatravkin did not have any critical words about the war in Ukraine or President Putin’s policies.
McDonald’s is leaving Russia after more than 30 years
Despite the war, McDonald’s kept a low profile for a long time, but then decided to withdraw from Russia – even after protests. Because of the company’s values, “one cannot ignore the needless human suffering that is happening in Ukraine,” CEO Chris Kempczinski said in an email to employees. The shutdown is necessary, even though McDonald’s has been in Russia for more than 30 years and serves millions of customers there every day.
Swell: // DPA
Watch the video: Western companies’ sanctions are hitting Russian businesses hard. But also in Germany, the offer in the supermarkets could soon disappear. The reason for this is the high petrol prices, which are putting pressure on logistics companies.
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
