VIRGINIA, USA — The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority announced Sunday that, in solidarity with Ukraine, a list of Russian-made vodka brands will be removed from its inventory.
The move is due to Gov. Glenn Youngkin declaring his support for Ukraine, the agency stated.
Seven brands will no longer be on store shelves: Beluga, Hammer & Sickle, Imperia, Mamont, Organika, Russian Standard and ZYR, the agency said.
"We carry other spirits that have Russian-themed monikers and marketing such as Stolichnaya and Smirnoff, but these products are not produced in Russia and will not be removed from our shelves," the agency posted to its Facebook page.
"As the sole retailer of distilled spirits in Virginia, Virginia ABC remains committed to providing customers and licensees with a wide range of products. We are currently reviewing other products that we carry to determine if they have origins in Russia."
Also on Sunday, Montgomery County announced that they have already removed all Russian-made alcohol from Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) stores in an effort to stand in solidarity with Ukraine.