Russia's consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor has temporarily shut down four McDonald's restaurants in Moscow citing sanitary violations.

Rospotrebnadzor had previously filed a claim in a Moscow court in July accusing the restaurant chain of violating government nutritional and safety codes in its burger and ice cream products.

The agency also claimed that McDonald's had misrepresented the nutritional values of its hamburgers and ice cream products, and that traces of E. coli had been detected during a restaurant inspection.

Rospotrebnadzor has also announced unscheduled checks at McDonald's in the Urals, in central Russia, reported Itar-Tass news agency.

The move comes amid rising tensions between Russia and the West over the crisis in Ukraine.

Russia has imposed ban on food imports from the EU, the US and some other western countries, in response to Western sanctions over Ukraine. Russian authorities also imposed a ban on imports of fruit and vegetables from Poland, as well juice imports from Ukraine.