Some stores in the United States and Canada will not be selling Russian-made liquor for the time being, as a response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed an executive order on Saturday instructing all New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet locations ― state-run liquor stores that sell alcohol tax-free ― to “begin removing Russian-made and Russian-branded spirits.”This morning I signed an Executive Order instructing @nhliquorwine outlets to begin removing Russian-made and Russian-branded spirits from our liquor and wine outlets until further notice. New Hampshire stands with the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom. 🇺🇦— Chris Sununu (@GovChrisSununu) February 26, 2022
“New Hampshire stands with the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom,” he added.Virginia State Sen. Louise Lucas (D) called for her state to take similar action.We need to take strong actions to support Ukraine, so I am calling on @GovernorVA to order the removal of all Russian Vodka and any other Russian products from our ABC stores immediately.— L. Louise Lucas (@SenLouiseLucas) February 26, 2022
In Canada, the government of Ontario ordered the province’s Liquor Control Board to remove all Russian products from its 679 stores, Reuters reported. And the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation announced Friday it had “made the decision to remove products of Russian origin from its shelves,” mentioning “Russian Standard Vodka and Russian Standard Platinum Vodka” in particular.📢 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.— NLC Liquor Store (@nlliquor) February 25, 2022
Some privately owned liquor stores are also pausing the sale of Russian products. One store manager in Wichita, Kansas, told The Hill that he viewed taking Russian vodka off the shelves as a “tiny sanction.”Others in the food and beverage industries have reacted in different ways. One one Quebec restaurant raised some eyebrows when it announced in a since-deleted post that it would be removing the word “poutine” from the menu in solidarity with Ukraine. Though the Russian president’s name is indeed written as “Vladimir Poutine” in French, he has no connection to the regional dish that consists of French fries, gravy and cheese curds.On Saturday, the assault on Ukraine continued for a third day, with Russian troops closing in on Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy had posted multiple defiant videos indicating he was remaining in the capital to fight. In Russia, Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine has been met with massive anti-war protests, in which demonstrators risked arrest and harsh penalties.
