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Russian ex-minister challenges lawmaker calling to close McDonald's, Coca-Cola in Russia

Dozens of thousands of Russians will become unemployed if McDonald's and Coca-Cola leave Russia, says ex-finance minister Alexey Kudrin

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

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MOSCOW, 6 March. /TASS/. Russia's ex-finance minister Alexey Kudrin has challenged lawmaker Alexey Pushkov in a Twitter dispute over a network of McDonald's and Coca-Cola companies, which Pushkov said should withdraw from the Russian market altogether.

Earlier, Pushkov, head of the Duma committee on international affairs, said on Twitter that both «McDonald’s and Coca-Cola should support Obama’s sanctions against Russia and leave Russia to make the Russian people well rid of their products. They will remain true to their principles, while we will be healthier for that, » Pushkov said.

Ex-finance minister Alexey Kudrin objected, saying that «Pushkov obviously does not know that more than 160 Russian companies account for 85% of products supplied to McDonald's. Coca-Cola buys more than 75% of products in Russia as well. Let’s lay off dozens of thousands of people, making them unemployed: it will be an excellent anti-crisis program," Kudrin said.

"If US high-tech companies restrict supplies because of political pressure put by some lawmakers, this will deal a real blow to the Russian industry," Kudrin added.

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