The Russian government is not lovin' it. The state food safety watchdog ordered the temporary closure of four McDonald's restaurants in Moscow on Wednesday, over what it said were sanitary violations but which comes against a backdrop of worsening U.S.-Russian ties over Ukraine. The four restaurants included the first ever McDonald's in Russia, which opened in the last days of the Soviet Union, and which the company says is its most frequented in the world. On Wednesday evening, the lights were off inside the restaurant - which is usually crammed - and a sign on the door said it was shut "for technical reasons." The watchdog, known in Russia as Rospotrebnadzor, said in a statement that inspectors had found numerous sanitary violations. McDonald's Russian unit said in a statement: "We are studying the essence of the claims to determine the steps necessary to open the restaurants for the customers as soon as possible."
IN DEPTH
- Reuters