Huge queues at Victoria’s Secret as chain closes Russian stores amid war in Ukraine

Huge queues hit Victoria’s Secret stores in Moscow and St Petersburg after the outlet announced it was suspending business in Russia over the war in Ukraine.

Videos showed long lines of men and women panic-buying on Wednesday night before the chain suspended business at 10pm.

The chain joins a number of major Western companies in suspending operations in Russia.

Opinions about the war in Ukraine were mixed among shoppers.

One woman cited Vladimir Putin’s propaganda that Ukraine needed to rid itself of “Nazis”.

Others were more critical of the Russian President.

Viktor, 36, who was buying his girlfriend a surprise, said: “This war is genocide and it is a disgrace for us Russians.”

Another female shopper, 22, said: “Putin has gone mad. Our lives are being wrecked because of the sanctions against him.”

Interior designer Oksana Barinova said: “I hadn’t seen such a queue outside and inside the boutique for a very long time….

“It hurts a little to look at all this...

“Will we not see high-quality beautiful lingerie for a long time.

“Do you know what we will wear and buy now? I’m just shocked.”

Elsewhere in Russia, Putin’s feared OMON special forces troops - deployed to ruthlessly crackdown on protesters - were seen enjoying a final supper at McDonald’s before the fast food chain closed its operations in Russia.

The heavily armed forces joined other diners at the Soviet Union’s first McDonald’s outlet on Pushkin Square, which opened 32 years ago and became a symbol of Moscow’s policy of glasnost - openness - as the Cold War thawed.

Again there were differing opinions about the war among diners at the fast food chain.

A female student, 25 said: “We’ll miss it.

“This is the place to get a quick bite when there is no time for a ‘proper’ sit down.”

A middle-aged man chomped his last Big Mac but said: “I don’t give a s***, there is nothing bad in them leaving. There will be a Russian replacement.”

Tanya, 29, agreed: “They can f*** off, we won’t cry.”

Many diners did not blame Putin for the sanctions, rather seeing them a hostile act by the West.

“We heard McDonald’s was leaving, so we came one last time to remind ourselves of the taste before they are off,” said one man.

“There is no tragedy in them leaving.

“There will be so many other places to eat.

“Anyway, we don’t think they’ll be gone for long.”

McDonald’s announced it would suspend operations in Russia on Tuesday.

Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Unilever have also followed suit.