McDonald's to temporarily close restaurants in Russia

MOSCOW. March 9 (Interfax) - McDonald's has decided to temporarily close all of its restaurants in Russia and "pause operations" in the country.

"We understand the impact this will have on our Russian colleagues and partners, which is why we are prepared to support all three legs of the stool in Ukraine and Russia. This includes salary continuation for all McDonald's employees in Russia," McDonald's Corp. CEO Chris Kempczinski said in a statement posted on the fast food giant's website.

McDonald's has 850 restaurants in Russia, 62,000 employees and hundreds of local suppliers and partners.