Some liquor stores and bars in the U.S. and Canada are taking Russian vodka off their shelves in protest of President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Driving the news: “I think the whole world knows by now that Russia’s at war with Ukraine for no apparent reason,” Jamie Stratton, partner and wine director of Jacob Liquor Exchange in Wichita, told KSNW. “I guess this is our sanction.”
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What’s happening: Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, directed its liquor control board to withdraw all Russian products, Reuters reports.
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“The people of Ontario will always stand against tyranny and oppression,” Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said Friday, according to the Toronto Star. “To that end, I am directing the LCBO to withdraw all products produced in Russia from store shelves.”
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Liquor stores in the provinces of Manitoba and Newfoundland in Canada also said they were removing Russian spirits.
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Magic Mountain, a ski resort in Vermont, tweeted a video clip of a bartender pouring Stoli down the drain and saying: “Sorry, we don’t sell Russian products here.”
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A bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan, also removed bottles of Stolichnaya and Smirnoff from shelves, M Live reports. “It’s a protest against the aggression,” said the bar’s owner, Bob Quay. “I just made the decision on the spot. It’s something little we can do.”
Between the lines: Some establishments appear to be making a statement of support for Ukraine as well as raising funds for humanitarian efforts.
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Evel Pie, a bar in Las Vegas, announced it’s boycotting Russian-made vodka. It’s now selling shots of Ukrainian liquor, with 100% of the proceeds to benefit humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine.
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“Our focus first and foremost is helping the Ukrainian people,” managing partner Branden Powers tells the Las Vegas Sun.
Go deeper: The latest on the Russia-Ukraine crisis
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