Bars and liquor stores yank Russian vodka off shelves, governors of Texas and Ohio boycott products from Russia to protest Ukraine invasion



Numerous countries, including the United States, have launched sanctions against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. Now, there will be local and state boycotts on one of Russia's most iconic exports – vodka.

In Canada, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy ordered the provincial Liquor Control Board of Ontario to have stores remove vodka and other alcoholic products from Russia.

"Ontario joins Canada’s allies in condemning the Russian government’s act of aggression against the Ukrainian people, and will direct the LCBO to withdraw all products produced in Russia from store shelves," tweeted on Friday with the hashtag #StandwithUkraine.

"Ontario and the LCBO can’t say it’s truly standing with Ukraine while continuing to be Putin’s customer," said Steven Del Duca, leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, according to Fox News.

Russian products will be removed from nearly 700 stores across Ontario.

Canada's Newfoundland Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC) also declared that it would yank Russian products off the shelves.

"The Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation, along with other Liquor jurisdictions throughout Canada, has made the decision to remove products of Russian origin from its shelves. These include Russian Standard Vodka and Russian Standard Platinum Vodka," the NLC Liquor Store wrote on Twitter.

In the United States, liquor stores and bars in Kansas, Michigan, Oregon, and Vermont plan on removing bottles of Russian vodka from their shelves as a "protest against the aggression," according to The Hill. The stores also planned on promoting Ukrainian vodka more prominently.

Virginia State Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D) called on Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) to "order the removal of all Russian vodka and any other Russian products from our ABC stores immediately."

On Saturday, Gov. Mike DeWine (R) directed the Ohio Department of Commerce to "cease both the purchase and sale of all vodka made by Russian Standard, the only overseas, Russian-owned distillery with vodka sold in Ohio."

The Ohio Division of Liquor Control estimates that there are roughly 6,400 bottles of vodka made by Russian Standard currently for sale in Ohio's 487 liquor agencies across the state.

DeWine also said that retailers had been asked to immediately take Russian vodkas from their shelves.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested retailers in the Lone Star state to voluntarily remove all Russian products from their stores as a protest against Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

"I've asked the members of the Texas Restaurant Association, Texas Package Stores Association & all Texas retailers to voluntarily remove all Russian products from their shelves. Texas stands with Ukraine," Abbott wrote on Twitter.