The Soviet Union hosted McDonald's first restaurant in 1990, opening at Moscow's Pushkin Square.
The Moscow restaurant opened on January 31, 1990, before the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Its arrival became a major international news event because the Golden Arches represented a well-known Western consumer brand entering the late Soviet market.
The opening required extensive preparation, including efforts to develop local supply chains that could meet McDonald's standards. The restaurant attracted enormous crowds and became one of the most visible examples of changing commercial relations during the final years of the Soviet Union.
“Russia” is a common answer in modern discussions because the restaurant later operated in the Russian Federation. Historically, however, the 1990 opening took place in the Soviet Union.