Russian McDonald’s Fan Chains Himself To Restaurant In Desperate Bid To Stop It Closing

A Russian McDonald's fan chained himself to a Moscow restaurant in a desperate bid to prevent its closure.

The superfan is said to be named Luka Safronov and was filmed on social media just hours before the fast-food chain shut down all its stores as a protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

As shown in the clip, the man was eventually unchained from the door before police escorted him away from the Maccies.

Last week (8 March) McDonald's announced the closure of all its 850 restaurants in Russia.

The chain has roughly 62,000 employees in the country and is continuing to pay staff's wages despite the closures.

McDonald's President and Chief Executive Officer, Chris Kempczinski, confirmed the news on social media and said the temporary closure was due to the 'unspeakable suffering to innocent people' in Ukraine.

He wrote: "The conflict in Ukraine and the humanitarian crisis in Europe has caused unspeakable suffering to innocent people.

"As a System, we join the world in condemning aggression and violence and praying for peace. 

"Our number one priority from the start of this crisis has been – and will remain – our people."

He added: "In Russia, we employ 62,000 people who have poured their heart and soul into our McDonald’s brand to serve their communities.

Luka Safronov, pianist and son of artist Nikas Safronov, handcuffed himself to a McDonalds on Pushkin Square in Moscow#Ukraine #UkraineWar pic.twitter.com/BwRhAL3oQJ

— 🌴🌊🇺🇸🇩🇪 (@0419R7264968959) March 13, 2022

"We work with hundreds of local, Russian suppliers and partners who produce the food for our menu and support our brand.

"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."

He went on to write: "Working closely in consultation with our Chairman, Rick Hernandez, and the rest of McDonald’s Board of Directors over the last week, McDonald’s has decided to temporarily close all our restaurants in Russia and pause all operations in the market.

"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."