The less-than-cordial relationship between Washington, D.C. and Moscow isn’t deterring Krispy Kreme from stepping out and expanding its presence in Russia. Taking a stab at “Donut Detente,” the 75-year-old North Carolina-based company has extended its development agreement with its long-time Russian joint venture partner, LLC Doughnuts Café, to include the development of 15 new doughnut shops throughout the greater St. Petersburg area over the next five years.

LLC Doughnuts has been Krispy Kreme’s Moscow-area franchise partner since April 2012, with its first Russian franchise located on Moscow’s Nikolskaya Street, in the shadow of the Kremlin. It opened for business in September 2013 to record crowds of doughnut aficionados who waited for hours to be among the first customers and a chance to win a free doughnut a day for a year.

“We are thrilled to be bringing Krispy Kreme to the St. Petersburg area,” says LLC Doughnuts president and CEO, Arkady Novikov, who calls the expansion “a reflection of our continued commitment to growing with the brand, and to sharing its iconic products and experiences with fans throughout Russia.”

Entrepreneur, restaurateur and fast-food magnate, Novikov is said to have first developed a taste for Krispy Kreme products while on frequent business to the U.S. in decades past, reportedly returning to Russia at the conclusion of every trip carrying at least three boxes of the company’s doughnuts with him through Customs at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport.

The shops planned for the greater St. Petersburg area will reportedly feature an assortment of iced, glazed, and filled doughnuts, including the brand’s signature Original Glazed, as well as a full menu of coffees, espressos, teas and iced beverages. Each of the planned shops is also expected to feature the company’s iconic “Hot Light”—a neon red company logo sign that flashes to signal that the shop in question will offer a free doughnut to anyone stopping by.

“The LLC Doughnuts Café team has developed an outstanding franchise operation in Moscow and has delivered on their commitment to providing high quality products and exceptional customer service to their guests,” says Dan Beem, Krispy Kreme’s president of International. “We’re delighted to partner with them in making the Krispy Kreme brand even more accessible to our doughnut and coffee fans in Russia.”