McDonald's halts Crimea operations
McDonald's, which operates three restaurants in Crimea, reportedly said it hoped to resume work as soon as possible, but offered to relocate staff to Ukraine, evidence that it did not expect its Crimean business to reopen in the near future.
"The company has provided an opportunity to all employees ... to transfer to any other McDonald's restaurants in Ukraine preserving their positions, salaries and fees and paying to relocate employees and their families," it said in a statement.
The US fast food chain is the second international company to cease operations this week on the peninsula annexed by Russia.
Crimea's unification with Russia, which Ukraine and the West do not acknowledge, has worried firms with assets in the Black Sea region because it is not clear how the changewill impact businesses.
