MOSCOW—More than a dozen former McDonald’s restaurants have reopened here under a new brand and new ownership, accompanied by a marketing blitz aimed at convincing Russians that the new chain’s burgers are as good as the American version. Officials have also used the reopenings — including that of Russia’s first McDonald’s restaurant, near Moscow’s Pushkin Square — to project a narrative of Russian economic resilience in the face of international sanctions and the exodus of Western businesses from the country. McDonald’s Corp. and other Western companies withdrew from Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. They cited a number of reasons for doing so, including the difficulty of doing business in Russia despite the sanctions.

Source: Wall Street Journal June 12, 2022 12:41 UTC