McDonald’s reopens in war-torn Kyiv for the first time since invasion

The US fast-food chain McDonald’s reopened in Kyiv on Tuesday for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

McDonald’s said in a statement that “after talks with Ukrainian officials, security specialists and suppliers”, it would re-open but for delivery only.

After the fast-food chain’s reopening, many employees were seen waiting in a queue to collect their delivery orders from the outlet.

“I think there will be a lot of excitement,” one of the delivery men was quoted as saying by news agencies.

Many customers were also seen outside the store in Kyiv to personally collect their orders.

McDonald’s stopped its operations in Ukraine on 24 February after Russia started the war in Ukraine.

In a statement, the fast-food chain said that “as part of the phased reopening programme, seven more stores in Kyiv will open, followed by additional restaurants in the capital and other cities in the west of the country.”

The reopening of the restaurants in Kyiv and western Ukraine will take place in stages over two months, the fast-food chain said.

McDrive and dine-in restaurants will only open in October.

McDonald’s head of communications in Ukraine Alesya Mudzhyri said that the fast-food chain is implementing enhanced procedures for the safety of employees and customers, saying that restaurants will be open from 9am to 9pm, but will “close during air raid alerts”.

In a statement issued by McDonald’s in August this year, it said: “We’ve spoken extensively to our employees who have expressed a strong desire to return to work and see our restaurants in Ukraine reopen, where it is safe and responsible to do so. In recent months, the belief that this would support a small but important sense of normalcy has grown stronger.

“And Ukrainian officials have advised that businesses resuming operations will support the local economy and the Ukrainian people.”

Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilisation on Wednesday in a fresh order for Russian reserves to contribute to the war effort in his national address.

But US ambassador in Kyiv, Bridget A Brink, dismissed Mr Putin’s announcement as a sign of failure and vowed the United States would continue to support Ukraine’s resistance towards Russian aggression.

“Sham referenda and mobilisation are signs of weakness, of Russian failure,” Ms Brink said in a tweet. “The United States will never recognise Russia’s claim to purportedly annexed Ukrainian territory, and we will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”