Multiple major chains are pulling out of Russia.

As Russia continues to pursue its invasion of Ukraine, their global image has taken a major hit. No global business wants to work with a country that invades others, which is why multiple major retail chains have either been halting or ending their business with Russia in protest. Retailers, gas companies, fast food chains, and more have all closed their Russian locations, and pledged to keep them closed until the invasion ends at the bare minimum.

We will be temporarily closing all restaurants and pausing all operations in Russia. Click to read the message from our CEO in its entirety: https://t.co/ncoB2A8GC6

— McDonald's (@McDonalds) March 8, 2022

One of the longest holdouts on this protest has been fast food chain McDonald’s, which maintains approximately 847 chain and franchise locations in Russia, though the vast majority of these locations are manned by the company itself. McDonald’s has been facing mounting pressure to join other companies in halting their Russian business to protest the war, and yesterday, they acquiesced.

“McDonald’s has decided to temporarily close all our restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market,” company CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a statement.

McDonald's said it would temporarily close its restaurants and pause all operations in Russia following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine https://t.co/iQ2SVmGMql

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 8, 2022

“In Russia, we employ 62,000 people who have poured their heart and soul into our McDonald’s brand to serve their communities. We work with hundreds of local, Russian suppliers and partners who produce the food for our menu and support our brand,” Kempczinski said, explaining their reluctance toward closing. “And we serve millions of Russian customers each day who count on McDonald’s. In the thirty-plus years that McDonald’s has operated in Russia, we’ve become an essential part of the 850 communities in which we operate.”

“At the same time, our values mean we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine.”