Bosch, Rolex, OMV, DHL – the list kept by Yale University of those companies that left Russia after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine reads like a “Who’s Who” of international brands. And the American researchers assume that there could already be 1,200 companies that have withdrawn from the Russian market. 1000 of them have also communicated this publicly. And among them are some economic heavyweights.
The case of the automobile manufacturer Renault was particularly sensational. “AvtoVAZ concern will again become completely Russian. The assets of the Renault Group in the country have become the property of the state,” announced the spokeswoman for business news, referring to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.
And recently the German company Siemens also decided to leave Russia – after 170 years in which the conglomerate was active in Russia. And the fast food market in Russia will also change completely. As a consequence of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, McDonald’s is selling its business in Russia, which was founded more than 30 years ago – the eXXpress reported. And what does Burger King do after the “Big Weg?”
“Would we like to suspend all Burger King activities in Russia immediately? Yes,” CEO David Shear wrote in an open letter back in March. “Can we make it work? no Because Burger King only has a 15 percent stake in a franchise with Russian partner Alexander Kolobow, who runs all Burger King stores in Russia. However, a solution is being worked on behind the scenes.
And it’s not just products that are no longer available. Spare parts are now also being produced in Russia itself again – as was the case recently under communism. Economist Dmitry Potapenko feels reminded of Soviet times: “That means we follow the same logic: we take a sample, disassemble it and try to replicate it in some way.”
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin does indeed want to go back to old times in order to get the Renault plant and the car market going again. Cars from the traditional brand Moskvich are to roll off the production line again this year in Moscow.
