Russia’s attacks on Ukraine have hit facilities associated with major American companies, including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and PepsiCo, raising questions
over Washington’s response as US businesses suffer damage during the war. A Coca-Cola plant near Kyiv was destroyed in a Russian drone attack in early September, while a McDonald’s logistics warehouse in the Kyiv region was struck on September 25, according to a CNN report. PepsiCo also disclosed damage to a production facility in Mykolaiv last August. Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, told CNN that Russian missiles and drones had directly struck facilities linked to prominent US brands, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, McDonald’s and Oreo. He described the scale of the attacks over recent months as unprecedented, arguing that American businesses were increasingly exposed to the consequences of Russia’s military campaign. The reported strikes have also prompted criticism of the Trump administration, which has not issued an official condemnation of the attacks, CNN reported.
American businesses face growing damage in Ukraine
The damage has affected more than one part of the American corporate presence in Ukraine. The Coca-Cola plant near the Ukrainian capital was destroyed in early September, while the September 25 strike on a McDonald’s logistics warehouse disrupted distribution and forced some restaurants to reduce operations. PepsiCo’s disclosure of damage to its Mykolaiv production facility adds to concerns over the vulnerability of industrial and commercial sites during the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised the issue last month, saying Russia was expanding its attacks to include American companies, data centres and internet service providers. He described strikes on facilities such as the Coca-Cola plant and food warehouses as a signal directed at the United States. However, the information provided does not establish whether every affected facility was deliberately selected because of its American ownership.
Trump administration faces questions over response
The reported attacks have created an uncomfortable contrast for Washington. CNN noted that the Trump administration has pressed Ukraine to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries, citing concerns including the impact of rising fuel prices in the United States, even as American corporate assets in Ukraine have suffered damage. Hunder questioned why the US government had not spoken out more forcefully when American investors and businesses were being hit by Russian strikes.
A White House official told CNN that Trump wanted the conflict to end and that the United States would continue working towards a peace agreement. The official described Washington as uniquely positioned to communicate with both sides and play a constructive role in ending the fighting. The administration has therefore emphasised its broader diplomatic objective rather than issuing a specific public condemnation of the reported attacks on US corporate facilities.
The American Chamber of Commerce has also sought direct engagement with the administration. Hunder said the organisation requested a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner last month to brief them on the situation facing American businesses and the damage caused by recent attacks. According to Hunder, the request received no response.
A former senior US State Department official told CNN that some in Washington view Witkoff and Kushner as the principal figures capable of handling the Ukraine issue, contributing to reluctance among others to become involved. The reported strikes have consequently raised questions not only about the security of American businesses operating in Ukraine, but also about how Washington intends to respond when US commercial interests are damaged during the war.
