Russian businesses in U.S. face backlash from war in Ukraine
NEW YORK (AP) — They're pouring out vodka, boycotting Russian restaurants and even leaving threatening voicemail messages at Russian businesses.
Angered by the deadly violence and the humanitarian crisis resulting from Russia's war on Ukraine, some Americans are taking it out on Russian businesses and brands in the U.S. — or anything that sounds Russian.
Business owners and experts say it's the most intense antiRussian sentiment they've seen. They also call the behavior irrational and misplaced, especially when so many owners are denouncing Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion and supporting Ukraine, not to mention the fact that some are not even Russian.
Olga Sagan, the owner of Russian bakery Piroshky Piroshky in Seattle, which has offered handcrafted Russian pastries since 1992, described a recent call from someone threatening a terrorist attack on her store.
But Sagan immigrated from Russia in 1999 and is an American citizen. Of her 60 staff members, she is the only one from Russia; three others are from Ukraine.
"People make fun of Russians — we drink vodka," Sagan said. "But never, ever anything like this. It make me feel very sad. I understand people's emotions and how strong they are about the situation, and I truly appreciate it because I have strong emotions. But most Russian people are against (the war)."
To clarify their position and placate customers, many business owners have posted Ukrainian signs on their doors or have turned to social media to pledge their support for Ukraine and condemn Russia's actions. Some restaurants are scrubbing any Russian references off their menu.
Even Ukrainians have been caught up in the backlash.
Alan Aguichev, 26, opened a restaurant in Manhattan two years ago with his mother, Svetlana "Sveta" Savchitz, who was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine. They named their restaurant Sveta and advertised it as an Eastern European and Russian eatery — a description that was intended to help people easily understand the food but now draws unwanted attention.
Aguichev, who was born in the U.S., said he has received emails from people using expletives about Russia, and telling the business owners to "go back home." The owners have since removed references to Russia from the restaurant's menu.
"Her two blood sisters are hiding under a bunker," Aguichev said of his mother's family. "And then she gets these nasty phone calls saying, 'you're not Ukrainian, you're Russian.' That's terrible."
Aguichev notes that many others have been supportive of him and his mother but it shouldn't matter even if either of them were Russian because many of his Russians friends also don't want this war.
"It's just one man who wants to do this, and that's President Putin," he said. "It's not only affecting Ukrainian lives — it's affecting Russian lives as well."
Moscow on the Hudson, a specialty store that sells Russian, Ukrainian and other international products about nine miles north of Sveta, has also received calls from people cursing out Russia and requesting that the store owners ask Putin to stop the war.