Some North Americans Are Ditching Russian Vodka & Boycotting It To Support Ukraine

What's more Russian than vodka — and what's more insulting than boycotting someone else's signature spirit?

Some bars and liquor stores in the U.S. and Canada are ditching Russian vodka as a sign of support for Ukraine, and the boycotts are spreading fast.

"It’s a protest against the aggression," Michigan bar owner Bob Quay told Mlive, after vowing never to serve Russian-made vodkas again.

Jamie Stratton, who runs a liquor store in Whichita, Kansas, told KSN that his store has ditched over 100 bottles of Russian vodka since the invasion began.

"I guess this is our sanction. We don’t support it. There’s no reason to support it. There’s no reason for them to invade the Ukrainians, and this may be small, but every small thing makes a difference," he said.

Some Canadian provinces have taken things a step further. In Nova Scotia, for example, the provincial liquor commission moved to pull three types of Russian Standard vodka from its shelves.

"We did not hesitate for a moment in making this decision," said a spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission to press, as per CBC.

The Ontario government has also ordered liquor stores to remove all Russian-sourced vodkas from their shelves, after facing pressure earlier on Friday.

Of course, with the size of the international liquor industry, it's hard to find a Russian vodka that isn't at least partially owned by someone in another country. For example, Stolichnaya and Smirnoff, which have their roots in Russia, are both owned by European-based companies now.

Although some places are pulling Russian vodka, North American brands are still available on shelves, allowing you to buy local in the process.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.