Coca-Cola Suspends Russian Business In Wake Of Attack On Ukraine

ATLANTA, GA — Coca-Cola is cutting ties temporarily with Russia, the company announced Tuesday.

As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the global beverage giant announced it would suspend its business in Russia.

“Our hearts are with the people who are enduring unconscionable effects from these tragic events in Ukraine,” a statement from Atlanta-based Coca-Cola said. “We will continue to monitor and assess the situation as circumstances evolve.”

The company recently came under fire from many who believed it was moving too slowly to respond to the Russian attacks in Ukraine.

“Until Coca-Cola, PepsiCo & McDonalds suspend business in Russia, American citizens have a very safe & simple way to stand with Ukraine,” actor and activist Sean Penn tweeted on Monday. “Any among us can suspend our purchases of their products & ask our friends to consider doing the same.”

McDonald's said Tuesday it would close its restaurants in Russia.

Tristan Snell, founder and managing partner of small business-facing digital law firm MainStreet.law, also vowed to boycott Coke products until the company stopped doing business with Russia.

“Coke AND Pepsi are still doing business in Russia,” he tweeted. “I won't buy ANY of either company's products until they halt operations in Russia and stop supporting Putin's war crimes in Ukraine.”

Last week, the company’s Swiss-based bottler Coca-Cola HBC shut down its Ukrainian operations to protect its employees as Atlanta-based Delta suspended cooperation with Russian airline Aeroflot. A day later the company pledged 1 million Euros to support Red Cross efforts to help victims of the Russian attacks, as well as beverages and 550,000 Euros to Red Cross operations in neighboring nations of Romania, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary where Ukrainian refugees may go to seek asylum.

Coca-Cola officials committed then, as in the latest statement, to continue to monitor events in Ukraine and act accordingly.

“Our focus is on our people and supporting humanitarian relief efforts in Ukraine and the region,” a statement on March 3 said. “Our actions are coordinated with our bottling partner, Coca-Cola HBC. Together, our priority is the safety and wellbeing of our employees and their families. We remain in constant contact and are doing everything we can to support them and our communities.”