The owner of fast food restaurant Burger King has claimed that its independent operator in Russia is “refusing” to allow it to close its restaurants within the country. Burger King, which is owned by Restaurant Brands International (RBI) and has around 800 fully franchised outlets in Russia, announced on March 10 that it had decided to suspend all corporate support within the country in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. However, RBI president David Shear said in an open letter to employees that the operator of its stores in Russia is refusing to allow it to do so. “We suspended all corporate support for the Russian market, including operations, marketing, and supply chain support in addition to refusing approvals for new investment and expansion,” Shear said. “We contacted the main operator of the business and demanded the suspension of Burger King restaurant operations in Russia. He has refused to do so.” Shear cited the …