Russian drones have targeted and caused damage to a Coca-Cola facility near the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, as confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The incident occurred close to the town of Brovary, east of Kyiv, with no reported injuries. Zelenskyy mentioned in a video address that the Russian drones ignited a fire at the Coca-Cola plant, emphasizing the use of Iranian-designed Shahed drones in the attack.
The President interpreted this event as a deliberate message from Russia to the United States, implying that the Russians were aware of the American ownership of the facility. Video footage from Reuters TV displayed firefighting teams responding to the scene and smoke billowing from the plant and surrounding fields.
Andy Hunder, the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, confirmed that the plant’s employees were unharmed and that efforts were underway to evaluate the situation with the relevant authorities. A spokesperson for Coca-Cola Company mentioned that the attacked plant is under the ownership of Coca-Cola HBC, an independent bottler.
Coca-Cola HBC expressed relief that all employees were safe following the attack and stated cooperation with authorities to assess the impact. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine escalated into a full-scale invasion by Russia in February 2022, leading to continuous hostilities between the two nations.
