Starbucks leaving Russian market, shutting 130 stores

The conscientious thing to do. Good.

The exodus continues. Soon the number of foreign businesses operating in Russia will be counted on fingers and toes. Malls are empty as stores stocking mainly foreign goods are closed. The good old Soviet times are returning but the middle classes of Russia are used to having Starbucks coffee and buying Italian clothes, or BMW's. Their lives are disrupted, their creature comforts removed and their standard of living eroded thanks to Putin's war.

Russian citizens will have to become used to a new normal where they have to sneak across the border to buy what they want and need, and try to re-enter Russia with their western goods.

A sad development for the younger Russians, many of whom know exactly what is going on and who is responsible. Even those force fed the state propaganda will begin to realise they have been duped by Putin with his outright lies. Losing sons and fathers, brothers and uncles for nothing but greed and power for a select few. The price is too high.

Russia out of Ukraine. Russia surrender. Putin go to jail for life.

Hopefully they will be replaced by coffee shops serving better coffee at a more reasonable price. This could be great for Russia. I feel sorry for the Alshaya Group who will lose millions while doing nothing to help the innocent people in Ukraine, and the ordinary Russians who actually like Starbucks coffee.

Coffee shouldn't be politicised!!

What's the big deal?

Starbucks coffee was over-rated to begin with.

The Russians aren't losing sleep over it.

How are the young teenage Russian army boyz going to stay awake now?! I guess they can drink cake.

Russians are about to become the healthiest people on the planet! No one cares that Starbucks is leaving or McDonald’s. Russia will be far better off without them.

Granted Starbucks isn't great but with McDonald's pulling out and now Starbucks - I'm sure other businesses will soon follow -, Russia, or at least Putin, is getting what they want right? Going back to the good ol' times of the USSR. Welp.

I hope no hands are glued to Starbuck’s counters in Russia.

Yes, "not be missed" -- because the Russian service industry is so amazing. Smiling faces, energetic staff, quality products, innovative services. LOL.

Good luck!

What's the big deal?

It's a very big deal.

Starbucks coffee was over-rated to begin with.

Yes, but you go to Starbucks for the ambiance, to relax and chat, do work, and study and they have great wifi.

The Russians aren't losing sleep over it.

I would vehemently disagree.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/23/starbucks-will-exit-russia-after-15-years-closing-130-licensed-cafes.html

Good. Starbucks is trash anyways.

 would vehemently disagree.

Good. Your choice, it is.

They just opened another Starbucks in our city on the main drag

Eastman:

Russia can easily survive with McDonalds Starbucks etc...very easy.

It's a symbolism, showing what is to come. The world is going to cut off all ties from Russia, one by one, leaving her in a long, cold, dark age.

I see the Russian support team are all using their VPNs to post here. Nice.

There are a multitude of videos on YouTube that are from Russians showing what has been happening to their local economy. About 40% of the stores in 2 malls in and around Moscow have closed their doors.

Ikea store next to a mall: https://youtu.be/1vQgx28vNsg - empty parking lot for both the mall and Ikea. This location requires a vehicle to access. It isn't near public transit.

https://youtu.be/ZsjDSLgOMMc Before and after views of a Mall in Siberian city, also with a closed Ikea.

A few international brands remain open - they haven't gotten the message. I was shocked to see Nike, Reebock and Burger King open. Starbucks was closed. A few French stores remained open. Chanel was closed, but not the French-owned grocery store that seems very loved by Russians.

The grocery stores seem well stocked with just a few items sold out - Porridge - which I hear is a Russian comfort food - was gone. Potatoes on offer were very small and green (poison when too green), but still 30%-300% higher. Some products like laundry detergent were 2-3x higher in price. Seems most stuff were 2x higher priced.

In News videos, they claim 2000 foreign companies have shut their operations in Russia and Belarus, impacting over 2M workers.

The escalators were all shut down. Parts to repair it, unavailable.

At a concert in St. Petersburg, the crowd chants "F**k the War!" over and over.

https://youtu.be/R36xAJFdMNo

The invasion isn't popular back in Russia, except for people who only get the spoon-fed news from Russian state TV.

The Russian diplomat to the UN in Geneva has resigned. Boris Bondarev, 41, confirmed his resignation in a letter delivered Monday morning:

"For twenty years of my diplomatic career I have seen different turns of our foreign policy, but never have I been so ashamed of my country as on Feb. 24 of this year,"

"The aggressive war unleashed by Putin against Ukraine, and in fact against the entire Western world, is not only a crime against the Ukrainian people, but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia, with a bold letter Z crossing out all hopes and prospects for a prosperous and free society in our country,"

Bondarev said those who conceived the war "want only one thing — to remain in power forever, live in pompous tasteless palaces, sail on yachts comparable in tonnage and cost to the entire Russian Navy, enjoying unlimited power and complete impunity."

Source1 : https://www.npr.org/2022/05/23/1100731559/russian-diplomat-un-quits-ashamed

Source2: https://youtu.be/8ph8z5NQLME - CNN

I see the Russian support team are all using their VPNs to post here.

Or they're Kremlin approved.

And yeah, Russia can survive without McDonalds. But, it's a snub as the entry of McDonalds was a sign of freedom in Russia, and their exit is a result of returned oppression. Russia will be a pariah to the world for a generation.

Putin wanted to Make Russia Great Again, instead he broke it.

Overpriced coffee not available?

Not really a problem then…