NEW YORK (AP) McDonald's has closed its three restaurants in Crimea as it evaluates the "evolving situation" on the Black Sea peninsula.
The world's biggest hamburger chain said Friday that the closures were "strictly a business decision which has nothing to do with politics." It cited the suspension of financial and banking services and said it is evaluating the potential business and regulatory implications of the situation.
Russia annexed Crimea last month, following a referendum held in the wake of Ukraine's political upheavals. The Kremlin backed its decision, which is not recognized by the West, by saying pro-Russian Crimeans had a right to break away from Ukraine.
Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the nationalist Liberal-Democratic Party, or LDPR, said in televised comments that he would welcome the closure of McDonald's restaurants throughout Russia.
"I will give an order to the LDPR local branches to place pickets outside all of McDonald's restaurants," Zhirinovsky said in televised remarks.