UMG Suspends Russia Operations
• Universal Music Group has joined a growing list of major companies that have suspended operations in Russia due to its unprovoked attack on Ukraine.
A statement from UMG, sent to RAMP, reads, “Effective immediately, we are suspending all operations in Russia and closing our offices there. We urge an end to the violence in Ukraine as soon as possible. We are adhering to international sanctions and, along with our employees and artists, have been working with groups from a range of countries (including the U.S., U.K., Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Czech Republic and Hungary) to support humanitarian relief efforts to bring urgent aid to refugees in the region.”
According to the New York Times, McDonalds, Starbucks and Coca-Cola also announced they were pausing sales in Russia. McDonald’s, which has been in Russia for three decades, was first to say it would temporarily close its 850 restaurants in the country, including those it owns and those owned by franchisees. Starbucks soon followed, saying the 130 restaurants it has in Russia, which are owned and operated by the Kuwaiti conglomerate Alshaya Group, would also immediately close. Coca-Cola then followed suit.
PepsiCo also said it was suspending soda sales (including 7Up), but would continue its operations that manufacture milk, other dairy products and baby formula, “partly as a humanitarian effort but also to keep its 20,000 manufacturing and 40,000 farm workers employed.”
McDonald’s said it would continue to pay salaries for its 62,000 employees in Russia, as it has for its employees in Ukraine. Starbucks said its licensing partner in Russia would provide “support” to the nearly 2,000 employees in Russia.
