Russian strikes on American brands in Ukraine are drawing demands for a stronger response from Washington, as President Donald Trump presses Kyiv to stop attacking Russian refineries. Facilities linked to Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and McDonald’s have suffered damage, while a leading business representative says the White House has not publicly addressed the recent attacks.
Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, told CNN that the scale of damage to American companies has increased in recent months. He also named Oreo among the brands whose facilities have been affected.
Hunder described repeated drone and missile strikes as a message aimed at American investors. That assessment represents his interpretation of the attacks; the damage alone does not establish why Russia selected each location.
“We’re not seeing any response from the White House,” Hunder told CNN.
The administration did provide CNN with a statement about its broader diplomatic efforts. A White House official said Trump wants the fighting to end and remains committed to working toward a peace agreement, but the response did not specifically condemn the recent attacks on the businesses.
American brands face damage to factories and warehouses
The incidents span several weeks and involve different parts of Ukraine’s commercial supply network. They include a beverage production facility, a Coca-Cola plant near the capital and a warehouse used by a McDonald’s logistics partner.
PepsiCo said a production facility in the Mykolaiv region was damaged during a Russian attack on August 29. In reporting published the following day, Ukrainian outlet LB.ua cited the company’s statement that no casualties occurred and that it was assessing the damage while working to restore supplies.
On September 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian drones had hit a Coca-Cola plant outside Kyiv. Reuters reported that officials said nobody was injured and that its television footage showed emergency crews arriving as smoke rose above the site.
Zelensky characterized the Coca-Cola attack as a signal to the United States. He argued that Russia would have known the facility was connected to an American enterprise.
Those comments explain Kyiv’s position on the incident. They do not independently verify the intentions of the Russian military or establish that every damaged American-linked facility was selected because of its corporate ownership.
McDonald’s reduces its menu after warehouse strike
A separate drone attack on September 25 damaged a warehouse operated by one of McDonald’s logistics partners in the Kyiv region, the company confirmed. Zelensky also publicly described the attack, stressing that the warehouse served an ordinary food business.
Contemporaneous Ukrainian reporting quoted McDonald’s Ukraine saying nobody was hurt. The company initially said restaurants were operating normally while it assessed the possible consequences for its operations.
By the time of CNN’s latest report, McDonald’s Ukraine said its restaurants were offering a reduced menu because of the damage. The two statements describe different stages of the disruption rather than the same operational snapshot.
The distinction also matters for ownership: the damaged warehouse was operated by a logistics partner. It should not be described simply as a company-owned McDonald’s factory.
Business representatives seek White House action
American brands have not all taken the same approach to discussing attacks publicly. Hunder told CNN that some businesses want the issue raised with Washington, while others are cautious about drawing attention to their exposure.
A former senior State Department official, speaking to CNN, likewise said companies differed over whether to disclose repeated strikes. The report did not identify that official.
Hunder said the chamber has asked visiting lawmakers from both parties to take the matter to the White House. CNN also reported that several Democratic lawmakers have called for stronger action to protect American businesses and criticize Moscow’s attacks.
According to Hunder, the chamber sought a meeting last month with Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to discuss conditions for American investors, including the recent damage. He said the request received no response.
The administration’s current handling of these incidents should be distinguished from Trump’s earlier remarks. CNN noted that, after an August 2025 strike on a US electronics factory, Trump said he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin he was unhappy about it.
Pressure on Ukraine’s refinery attacks adds to the dispute
The complaints about American brands come as Washington challenges Ukraine’s strikes on Russian energy facilities. CNN reported that US officials have threatened limits on intelligence sharing and munitions unless Kyiv stops those attacks, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Trump announced a Russian diesel agreement on October 9. Reuters subsequently reported that Washington lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports as part of efforts to bring down US fuel prices.
Reuters also identified the Iran war and constrained supplies from Gulf producers as factors in the fuel shortage. Rising prices therefore should not be attributed solely to Ukrainian refinery attacks.
Hourly Times’ earlier coverage of European diesel reserve talks and Trump’s pressure on allies provides background on the wider fuel-supply dispute.
For Hunder, the immediate concern is the security of American investment already operating in Ukraine. He told CNN that companies expect their government to defend their interests when a foreign military damages their businesses.
The White House’s stated priority remains ending the war. The business representatives’ request is more specific: a public response to attacks on their facilities and stronger protection for the operations that remain on the ground.
