Ukraine Adds Bacardi to "War Sponsors" List
Bermuda-based company Bacardi Limited has been included by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) in Ukraine's list of international sponsors of war. The company continues to operate in Russia and actively seeks new employees there, as reported by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP).
Following the outbreak of full-scale war, Bacardi initially announced a halt to exports to Russia and a suspension of advertising investments, but later, this part of the statement disappeared from the official announcement. The company continued supplying products to Russia for millions of dollars and continued to recruit new employees, as revealed by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention.
The departure of several prominent international brand owners from the Russian alcohol market reduced competition and created opportunities for those who remained. Capitalizing on the situation, the Russian branch of Bacardi, "Bacardi Rus," imported goods worth $169 million during the year of the conflict in Ukraine.
In 2022, the company's revenue increased by 8.5% to reach 32.6 billion rubles ($335.5 million), and its net profit grew to 4.7 billion rubles ($48.3 million). This marked a 206.5% increase compared to 2021. The company contributed over $12 million in corporate taxes to the Russian budget.
Consequently, Bacardi Limited continues to pay substantial taxes to the Russian budget, support its economy, and indirectly sponsor aggression against Ukraine, emphasized the NACP.
Bacardi Limited stands as the world's largest private international alcohol company, with its products available in over 170 countries. The company's brand portfolio includes Baron Otard, D'USSÉ, Bombay gin, Bacardi rum, Cazadores tequila, Grey Goose and Eristoff vodka, Dewar's whisky, and other beverages like Martini, St-Germain, and Bénédictine.
The term "War Sponsors" refers to a list compiled by Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention and is hosted on the "War and Sanctions" portal. Companies cooperating with the aggressor and included in the "War Sponsors" registry are entered into the world's largest risk assessment database, World-Check, utilized by banks and insurance companies.
The list of "War Sponsors" includes Austrian banking group Raiffeisen, British consumer goods company Unilever, Hungarian OTP Bank, French retail giant Auchan, and several other well-known companies continuing to operate in Russia.
As previously reported by The Gaze, Ukraine has once again added five Greek carriers to the list of international war sponsors. This action was taken due to their failure to meet agreed-upon conditions related to cooperation with Russia.
Despite sanctions, these companies persisted in transporting Russian oil and petroleum products, thereby replenishing the budget of the aggressor country and financing the Russian invasion.