According to new reports, liquor stores in the United States and Canada have begun getting rid of their stocks of Russian vodka as a from of protest against the invasion of Ukraine.
The Canadian Press reported that Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy in Ontario, Canada, directed the Liquor Control Board to make stores throw out Russian vodka and other alcoholic products.
“Ontario joins Canada’s allies in condemning the Russian government’s act of aggression against the Ukrainian people and we strongly support the federal government’s efforts to sanction the Russian government,” he said.
“We will continue to be there for the Ukrainian people during this extremely difficult time,” Bethlenfalvy added.
The New York Post reported that “Products will be removed from nearly 700 stores across” Ontario.
The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation has removed Russian products from its stores and website. Manitoba, New Brunswick, British Columbia and Newfoundland were also taking their own action.
In the U.S., states like Oregon, Michigan, and Kansas are seeing the removal of Russian products from stores and bars.
Bill McCormick, owner of Pine Tavern in Bend, Oregon, filmed himself pouring out all of his Russian vodka.
“Russia is acting as though it’s 1939 and going into Europe with a full force that they have in the Ukraine,” he told Fox 12 in Portland. “I am so concerned about it metastasizing into other countries”.
Bob Quay, owner of Bob’s Bar in Grand Rapids, Michigan has pulled bottles of Russian alcohol off his shelves in protest.
The Jacob Liquor Exchange in Wichita, Kansas, removed more than 100 bottles of Russian vodka from shelves.