Stoli Group, owners of Stoli Vodka, Elit Vodka and other brands, including Kentucky Owl, condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In a statement it said it “unequivocally condemn(s) the military action in Ukraine and stand in support of the Ukrainian people. ”
Damian McKinney, global CEO, said Stoli Group doesn’t have any operations in Russian, but “we do in Ukraine and across many of the bordering countries. ”
The Stoli vodka brands and its owner Yuri Shefler were exiled from Russia nearly two decades ago. “As the Founder of SPI Group of companies, I have personally experienced persecution by the Russian authorities and I share the pain of Ukraine and its people,” Shefler said. He was an early resistance fighter.
Stoli Premium and Elit vodka are manufactured and bottled in Riga, Latvia. The brand is registered with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau as a Latvian product.
“We are inspired by the Russian people who have taken to the streets calling for an end to this attack on a sovereign nation. For decades, Stoli Group has supported the marginalized and those at risk of unwarranted aggression. We stand now with all Ukrainians and Russians calling for peace,” said McKinney.
“The safety and security of our Ukrainian team is our top priority. We are monitoring the situation closely and are already moving swiftly and decisively to provide support where needed, both to our people on the ground as well as partners,” he added.
That’s not what Stoli says, and if it is true that the owner of the company fell out with Putin, it would be highly unlikely.