The list of brands that decide to take a stand against Russia that invaded Ukraine is getting longer by the day. From Prada to H&M, from Starbucks to Mc Donald’s to the symbolic Levi’s, companies are giving very clear signals by closing branches in the country.
But it is not that easy to close shops and businesses in Putin’s country. And the fast food chain Burger King is an example of this in these hours. WHY BURGER KING CANNOT CLOSE IN RUSSIA
The parent company has made it known that the 8oo restaurants located in Russia cannot be closed: the local partner, Alexander Kolobov , refused to do so. David Shear, president of Restaurant Brands International Inc, shared the difficulties in a letter where he explained that the desire to no longer be present in the territory collided with the contract stipulated with the Russian partner.
A letter that highlights a weak point of the international American franchise, that is the relationship that is created abroad with independent operators, as Reuters points out.
Shear said he will try to sell the 15% he owns in the joint venture partnership with Kolobov, Investment Capital Ukraine and Russian state bank Vtb Bank, which has been hit by the sanctions. But certainly times are long and this constrains the movements that the parent company can make, because unilaterally no decision can be made.515 LEASED PLANES NOW OWNED BY RUSSIANS
Another case of how the international situation can have unexpected consequences, and that on the nationalizations that the Kremlin is carrying out by force.
Putin has decided to transfer ownership of 515 aircraft to Russian companies that have chartered them from mostly European companies. They are aircraft that will not be able to leave the territory because the international skies are forbidden to Russian pilots, vice versa no Western pilot can enter the country to bring them back.
A stalemate that effectively resulted in a $ 10 billion loss for aerospace leasing companies. Because it is true that they have time to terminate contracts until March 28 and that they have managed to resume some vehicles already outside the country, but for all the others a legal limbo has opened.
The European Commission claims that Russia is in violation of the 1944 Chicago Convention, which sets international rules on civil aviation, and is trying to work towards a solution. A solution that is further dismissed if we think of the insurance companies that are not ready to face a situation that sees entire fleets of airlines at stake.
Without airworthiness certificates (already revoked by the companies of Ireland and Bermuda) and therefore without being able to leave the Russian borders, it is assumed that the aircraft will be used for spare parts if necessary, since they will not be able to buy anything from Western companies.
Meanwhile, “the number one fear right now is that these planes are lost forever,” Steve Giordano , CEO of Nomadic Aviation Group, a company specializing in aircraft recovery, told Bloomberg.
