Russia Ukraine war: McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Starbucks latest companies to exit Russia

More multinational companies have pulled out of Russia in protest to the war in Ukraine. See the full list.

McDonald’s has become the latest on the growing list of multinational companies to suspend activities in Russia, joining Apple, Levi’s and others, but some have chosen to stay in the country despite the risks to their reputation.

Following last month’s invasion of Ukraine, the pressure has been mounting and calls for repercussions appeared on social media under hashtags such as #BoycottMcDonalds and #BoycottPepsi.

“McDonald’s has decided to temporarily close all our restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market,” the fast-food giant announced on Tuesday US time.

While lamenting the impact on 62,000 people employed at 850 restaurants in Russia, the company said, “we cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine.”

Coffee chain Starbucks announced it would halt operations in Russia on the same day.

A McDonald’s restaurant opposite the Kremlin in Moscow. Picture: AFP

“We have decided to suspend all business activity in Russia, including shipment of all Starbucks products,” noted the firm, which previously said it has 130 stores in Russia that are wholly owned and operated by a licensed partner.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson wrote that its licensed partner “has agreed to immediately pause store operations and will provide support to the nearly 2000 partners in Russia who depend on Starbucks for their livelihood.”

Also stopping business with Russia, Amazon’s cloud-computing unit Amazon Web Services.

“Unlike other US technology providers, AWS has no data centres, infrastructure, or offices in Russia, and we have a long-standing policy of not doing business with the Russian government,” the company said.

“We have also stopped allowing new sign-ups for AWS in Russia and Belarus.”

And sift drink giants Coca-Cola and PepsiCo also followed suit on Tuesday US time.

“Our hearts are with the people who are enduring unconscionable effects from these tragic events in Ukraine,” Coca-Cola said in a statement announcing that it was “suspending its business in Russia.”

PepsiCo said: “Given the horrific events occurring in Ukraine we are announcing the suspension of the sale of Pepsi-Cola, and our global beverage brands in Russia, including 7Up and Mirinda.”

Major corporations across a range of industries have halted business in Russia since its troops invaded Ukraine on February 24, including everything from US-based tech firms such as Intel and Airbnb to French luxury giants LVMH, Hermes and Chanel.

These are the latest companies that have announced plans to exit Russia or to curb activities there:

Banking

US credit card and payments giant American Express suspended its operations in Russia and Belarus over Moscow’s “unjustified” attack on Ukraine.

“In light of Russia’s ongoing, unjustified attack on the people of Ukraine, American Express is suspending all operations in Russia,” the company said in a statement, noting that American Express cards will no longer work at merchants or ATM money machines in Russia.

“We are also terminating all business operations in Belarus,” it added.

In addition to blocking usage of globally issued Amex cards in Russia, “cards issued locally in Russia by Russian banks will no longer work outside of the country on the American Express global network,” the company said.

American Express noted its previous steps taken, including halting its relationships with banks in Russia that have been impacted by sanctions slapped on Russia by the United States and Western allies.

The move follows card payment titans Visa and Mastercard, which had announced on Saturday they will suspend operations in Russia.

“Noting the unprecedented nature of the current conflict and the uncertain economic environment,” Mastercard said it had “decided to suspend our network services in Russia.” Visa, for its part, said that “effective immediately” it would “work with its clients and partners within Russia to cease all Visa transactions over the coming days.”

Sportswear, fashion and homewares

Adidas has suspended its partnership with the Russian Football Union, while Nike has made merchandise purchases on its website and app unavailable in Russia as it cannot guarantee delivery.

Puma has stopped deliveries to Russia although its 100 stores in the country are open.

H&M, the world’s second-biggest fashion retailer, has temporarily suspended all its sales in Russia.

Boohoo has suspended all of its sales in Russia, while Burberry said it was putting all shipments to Russia on hold, due to ‘operational challenges’, adding that it was keeping a close eye on the situation.

Swedish furniture giant IKEA has closed its stores, shuttered production and halted imports and exports.

Picture: AFP

Film and TV

Hollywood studios Disney, Warner Bros, and Sony Pictures Entertainment have suspended new film releases in Russia.

Tech

Alphabet’s Google has blocked mobile apps connected to Russian broadcasters RT and Sputnik, after earlier removing Russian state publishers from news-related features.

Microsoft said it would remove state-owned RT’s mobile apps from the Windows App store and ban advertisements on Russian state-sponsored media.

Laptop maker Dell Technologies said it had suspended product sales in Ukraine and Russia.

Streaming service Spotify announced it was closing its Russian office indefinitely as a response to the conflict.

Automakers

Mercedes-Benz is looking to strip its 15 per cent of its stake in Kamaz as soon as possible.

Vehicle exports to Russia have been suspended by General Motors and Sweden’s Volvo Cars until further notice.

Japan’s Mitsubishi said it may suspend production and the sale of its cars in Russia.

Harley-Davidson said it had suspended its business and shipments of bikes to Russia.

Ford suspended operations in Russia until further notice.

British luxury carmakers Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin have paused vehicle shipments to Russia.

Picture: AFP

Germany’s BMW has halted the export of cars to Russia and said it would stop production there.

Honda said it has suspended automobile and motorcycle exports to Russia.

Japan’s Mazda will suspend exports of auto parts to its Russian plant, Nikkei reported on Tuesday.

Energy

France’s TotalEnergies said it would no longer provide capital for new projects in Russia.

BP is abandoning its 19.75 per cent stake in Russian oil giant Rosneft, while Shell said it would exit all its Russian operations.

Exxon Mobil will exit Russian oil and gas operations that it has valued at more than $4 billion.

Italian energy group Eni plans to sell its stake in a pipeline carrying Russian gas to Turkey.

German turbine maker Siemens Energy suspended new business in Russia.

Global commodities trader Trafigura said it has frozen investments in Russia and is reviewing its 10% stake in Rosneft’s Vostok Oil project in the Arctic.

Picture: AFP

Aviation

Boeing has suspended its parts, maintenance and technical support for Russian airlines.

Airbus has stopped sending spare parts to Russia and supporting Russian airlines, but is analysing whether its Moscow engineering centre can continue to serve local customers.

Logistics and shipping

UPS and FedEx are halting delivery services to Russia and Ukraine.

Shipping group Maersk will temporarily halt all container shipping to and from Russia.

Deutsche Post has stopped DHL deliveries to Russia.

Picture: AFP

German shipping company Hapag Lloyd has suspended bookings for Russia and halted sailings for Ukraine.

Shipping company MSC has stopped bookings to and from Russia but will still accept food and humanitarian cargoes.

RUSSIAN ATHLETES BANNED FROM OLYMPICS

Russian and Belarusian athletes have been banned from the Beijing Winter Paralympics over the war in Ukraine with organisers bowing to international pressure and threats of a boycott.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) just a day earlier said athletes from the two countries would be allowed to compete as “neutrals” in the Games, which start on Friday.

The decision by the IPC to expel the 83 Russian and Belarusian Paralympians represented an astonishing U-turn 24 hours after they had been told they could compete under a neutral banner.

The Germans had labelled their being allowed to compete as “a dark page” and had been especially infuriated to hear cheering ring out from Russia House in Beijing when the original decision was announced.

International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons speaks following the decision on Russian and Belarusian athletes. Picture: Getty Images

President of the IPC, Andrew Parsons, bowed to pressure despite having said that Wednesday’s sanction was the “harshest punishment” they could impose.

“To the para-athletes from the impacted countries, we are very sorry that you are affected by the decisions your governments took last week in breaching the Olympic Truce,” he said.

“You are victims of your governments’ actions.”

The Ukrainians, however, will be present at Friday’s opening ceremony in the Chinese capital, a “miracle” according to Ukraine’s Paralympic committee president, Valeriy Sushkevych.

“The easiest way for us would have been to not go to the Paralympics. But we couldn’t give up and not come,” he said.

WHO’S LEFT IN PUTIN’S CORNER AS RUSSIA HIT WITH MORE BANS

As the world watched in horror and outrage over Russia’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine, world leaders were quick to condemn Vladimir Putin.

NATO, the EU and their allies are funnelling arms into Ukraine to fight off Russian invaders and arm an insurgency, if the war comes to that.

At the same time, NATO is moving military equipment and as many as 22,000 more troops into member states bordering Russia and Belarus, to reassure them and enhance deterrence.

But despite the swift chorus of condemnation from the West, some of the world‘s biggest powers have backed Mr Putin, claiming it is the West who provoked him and he has a right to stake a claim for Ukraine through the bloody war.

Demonstrators hold signs during a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Picture: AFP

Other countries seem to be sitting on the fence, as they walk a tightrope between security concerns and economic interests.

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution that “demands” Russia “immediately” withdraw from Ukraine, in a powerful rebuke of Moscow’s invasion by a vast majority of the world’s nations.

After more than two days of extraordinary debate, which saw the Ukrainian ambassador accuse Russia of genocide, 141 out of 193 United Nations member states voted for the non-binding resolution.

China, India and Pakistan was among the 35 countries which abstained, while just five — Eritrea, North Korea, Syria, Belarus and of course Russia — voted against it.

PUTIN’S BACKERS

Belarus

Belarus and Russia share more than just a land border.

The former Soviet nations have important economic and political ties, with Russia accounting for 48 per cent of Belarus‘ external trade.

Syria

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad supports Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Syria has been a staunch ally of Moscow since Russia launched a military campaign in Syria in 2015 that helped to turn the tide in a civil war in favour of President Bashar al-Assad with massive aerial bombardment of opposition-held areas.

Venezuela

Venezuela‘s President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday assured Mr Putin of his “strong support” in a telephone call, according to a Kremlin statement.

In the call initiated by Mr Caracas, the Venezuelan leader also condemned “destabilising actions of the United States and NATO” and spoke out against a Western campaign of ”lies and disinformation,” it said.

People take part in a basic military training in Ukraine. Picture: Getty Images

Myanmar

Myanmar’s military junta expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin again on Sunday, blaming his invasion of Ukraine on that country’s leader and its people.

North Korea

North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations said on Tuesday that the US and its allies are the root cause for the crisis in Ukraine, having ignored Russia’s “reasonable and just” demands for security.

The Kim Jong Un regime has long accused the U.S. of double dealing, viewing its own weapons development as a deterrent against outside attacks.

ALLIES SITTING ON THE FENCE

China

China has so far refused to call Russia‘s action in Ukraine an ’invasion’ or criticise the Kremlin despite intensifying assaults from Putin’s military.

Beijing has also thrown Moscow another sanction-busting lifeline by lifting wheat import restrictions in an economic boost to Moscow despite sweeping sanctions imposed by the West in a bid to stop the war.

India

India has not explicitly condemned Russia’s actions or called them an invasion, nor voiced support for Mr Putin.

The Russian embassy in India welcomed the stance, saying: “Highly appreciate India’s independent and balanced position at the voting in the UNSC.”

Pakistan

Pakistan became the first major nation to back Mr Putin as it signed the first new trade deal with Russia since the invasion.

Prime Minister and former cricketer Imran Khan said his country will import about 2 million tonnes of wheat and supplies of natural gas after meeting the Russian President last Thursday – the day he sent troops into its sovereign neighbour.

Pakistan has expressed concern about the invasion but stopped short of condemning it.

Brazil

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday declined to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s invasion of Ukraine, while departing from his government’s official stance at the United Nations to say Brazil would remain neutral.

The country is cautiously assessing the risks and benefits of throwing their full support behind the Russian invasion.

Cuba

Cuba, with a decades-long relationship with Moscow, and Nicaragua, whose authoritarian leader has expressed support for the invasion, abstained from the UN vote condemning Russia’s actions.

Central Asia

The nations of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan have all tried to remain out of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The countries maintain strategic partnerships with Russia but none of their governments have spoken out in support of the invasion.

South Africa

South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation last week called on Russia to withdraw its troops and respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity.

But President Cyril Ramaphosa has now effectively rescinded the statement, wanting to take a more neutral stance.

An updated statement by ambassador Mathu Joyini failed to condemn or even name Russia, saying: ‘South Africa is of the view that this armed conflict, like all others, will result in unnecessary human suffering and destruction with global ramifications.

FULL LIST: HOW THE WORLD HAS BANNED AND BOYCOTTED RUSSIA

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pleaded for help from world leaders as Russian forces continue their advance on Ukraine.

In response, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States have unveiled a series of sanctions against Russia targeting banks, oil refineries, and military exports.

The country has also been banned from major international sporting competitions and arts.

Here are some of the ways Russia is being hit hard by the international community in a bid to deter their aggressive invasion.

APPLE SUSPENDS PRODUCT SALES

Apple has halted sales of its products in Russia, joining Silicon Valley companies including Google and Facebook-owner Meta in blocking access to Russian state media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.

Apple CEO Tim Cook. The tech giant has suspended sales in Russia. Picture: AFP

“We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand with all of the people who are suffering as a result of the violence,” the company said in a statement. Customers are now unable to make purchases from the Russian version of Apple’s online store, which shows products including the latest iPhones as “currently unavailable”.

“We have taken a number of actions in response to the invasion,” Apple said. “We have paused all product sales in Russia. Last week, we stopped all exports into our sales channel in the country.”

RUSSIA’S SPORTING FREEZE OVER UKRAINE INVASION

Two of the largest sports governing bodies have announced decisions to prevent Russian teams from participating in international competitions.

On Monday, The International Olympic Committee (IOC) urged sports federations and organisers to exclude Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from international events.

Hours later world football’s governing body FIFA kicked Russia out of the 2022 World Cup as football’s global governing body and UEFA joined forces to expel Russian national teams and clubs from all international competitions.

FIFA and UEFA banned Russian national and club soccer teams from competing in any competitions indefinitely, putting the men’s national team in jeopardy of not qualifying for the 2022 World Cup set to begin in November.

On Tuesday, Russia lost the right to host the men’s Volleyball World Championships – which the old Soviet Union won twice – in August and September.

“The FIVB Board of Administration has come to the conclusion that it would be impossible to prepare and stage the World Championships in Russia due to the war in Ukraine,” said the International Volleyball Federation in a statement.

“It has accordingly decided to remove from Russia the organisation of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship scheduled to be held in August and September 2022.”

Russian ice-skaters have also been barred from all competitions in another significant blow to a country who under President Vladimir Putin had used sport as a powerful force for its image both globally and internally.

Russia is traditionally a powerhouse in the sport, winning six medals at the Beijing Olympics including two gold.

This rules them out of March’s world championships to be hosted in Montpellier, France.

RUSSIAN VODKA STRIPPED OFF SHELVES

One of Russia’s most famous imports, vodka, has been banned by retailers and hospitality venues in multiple countries as they stripped Russian products from shelves in a united protest against the invasion on Ukraine. Despite most bottles of vodka not coming from Russia, the boycott remains ongoing since the spirit has long been associated with the country.

In Australia, major liquor retailers Dan Murphy’s, BWS and Cellarmasters, as well as alcohol delivery service Jimmy Brings, and hundreds of pubs under the ALH banner will take part in the boycott. Coles Liquor stores Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and First Choice have also joined the cohort of retailers in pulling the products from their shelves in a sign of solidarity with Ukraine.

RUSSIAN MEERKAT ADS PULLED

The price comparison website Comparethemarket has pulled its ads featuring the animated Russian meerkat Aleksandr Orlov in light of the Ukraine invasion.

The British-based firm said it had reviewed its media strategy due to the sensitivities around the Russian invasion.

EUROVISION BARS RUSSIA OVER UKRAINE INVASION

No Russian entertainers will be permitted to take part in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the European Broadcasting Union said Friday.

The glitzy annual musical pageant, which has millions of viewers in Europe and even Australia, will go ahead without any acts from Russia, the EBU’s executive board decided.

“In light of the unprecedented crisis in Ukraine, the inclusion of a Russian entry in this year’s contest would bring the competition into disrepute,” the EBU said in a statement.

The call to exclude Russia from this year’s Eurovision in Italy was “based on the rules of the event and the values of the EBU”, the body said.

In addition, Russia residents will also be blocked from voting in the competition.

“They are completely excluded from the whole event,” an EBU spokesman told AFP. “The EBU is an apolitical member organisation of broadcasters committed to upholding the values of public service,” its statement stressed.

The song contest “promotes international exchange and understanding, brings audiences together, celebrates diversity through music and unites Europe on one stage.”

Meanwhile, acclaimed Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, chief of Saint Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre and known for his warm Kremlin ties, was suddenly dropped from concerts where he was due to lead the Vienna Philharmonic at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

London’s Royal Opera House said on Friday it was cancelling a season of performances by Moscow’s famed Bolshoi Ballet.

CLOSING OF AIRSPACE

The European Union, United Kingdom and Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania decided to close their airspace to all Russian airlines. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines suspended its codesharing partnership with Russian national airline Aeroflo.

“We have removed our code from Aeroflot-operated services beyond Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport and removed Aeroflot’s code from Delta-operated services from Los Angeles and New York-JFK,” Delta said in a statement.

CYBERATTACKS

CyberattacksAnonymous, the international hacker activist group behind various cyberattacks, announced they would be launching “unprecedented cyberattacks” against Putin, declaring war on his regime. The group said they already have hacked a Russian military database and published data online, as well as disabling websites of media outlets in Russia.

Originally published as Russia Ukraine war: McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Starbucks latest companies to exit Russia