Russia Strikes US Businesses in Ukraine as Trump Pressures Kyiv Over Attacks on Russian Refineries

StoryRussia has intensified attacks on facilities linked to major American businesses operating in Ukraine, even as US President Donald Trump and his administration increase pressure on Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil refineries over concerns about the impact on American consumers.

The attacks have damaged facilities associated with some of the United States’ most recognisable brands, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, McDonald’s and Oreo, according to Andy Hunder, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.

Hunder told CNN that the recent attacks represented a significant escalation compared with previous incidents involving American businesses in the country.

He said Russian missiles and drones had repeatedly targeted facilities linked to US companies, raising concerns about the safety of American commercial interests and the absence of a strong public response from Washington.

“This is a direct hit with drones and missiles, and they keep hitting them. It’s sending a message that they’re targeting American business. We’re not seeing any response from the White House,” Hunder said.

He added that the attacks threatened American investments and called for them to stop.

“We need this to stop because these are American interests, American money, American investors that are being hit and are being targeted,” he said.

Coca-Cola and McDonald’s facilities hit

One of the incidents occurred in early September when a Russian drone struck a Coca-Cola factory outside Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as a clear signal to the United States, arguing that Moscow could not be unaware that the facility was an American enterprise.

In a nightly video address on September 3, Zelensky said Russian forces had struck the Coca-Cola plant with a drone, referring to the Iranian-designed Shahed drones used in attacks on Ukraine.

Later in September, a Russian drone damaged a warehouse used by McDonald’s in the Kyiv region.

Zelensky disclosed the incident in a post on X, criticising Russia for targeting facilities involved in supplying ordinary consumer goods.

McDonald’s Ukraine confirmed that a warehouse operated by one of its logistics partners in the region was damaged in a drone attack on September 25.

The company said the damage had affected its operations, forcing its restaurants in Ukraine to offer a reduced menu.

Zelensky also accused Russia of expanding its attacks to cover American and other foreign businesses, data centres and internet providers, arguing that ordinary civilian life was increasingly becoming a target.

PepsiCo production facility also damaged

PepsiCo acknowledged in a statement in late August that one of its production facilities in the Mykolaiv region of Ukraine had been damaged.

The company said there were no casualties in that incident.

According to Hunder, however, American businesses operating in Ukraine have adopted different approaches to discussing the attacks publicly.

A former senior US State Department official told CNN that some companies were reluctant to disclose the extent of the damage or publicly confirm that their facilities had been targeted repeatedly.

Hunder said some businesses wanted the US government to raise the issue, while others were being cautious about speaking publicly.

The attacks have prompted several Democratic lawmakers in the United States to call on the White House to do more to protect American businesses in Ukraine and publicly condemn Moscow’s actions.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine has also raised the matter during meetings with visiting US lawmakers from both major political parties, asking them to bring the concerns to the White House.

Ukraine has cited the attacks as another reason for increased defence assistance to help protect foreign-owned businesses and other infrastructure operating in the country.

White House response under scrutiny

The attacks have drawn attention to the Trump administration’s approach to Russia and Ukraine, particularly as Washington presses Kyiv to halt strikes on Russian refineries, citing concerns about their potential effects on American consumers.

Trump has previously criticised a Russian strike on a US electronics factory in Ukraine. In August 2025, he said he had told Russian President Vladimir Putin that he was “not happy about it”.

However, the recent attacks on facilities linked to American companies have renewed questions about whether Washington will take a stronger public position on the issue.

A White House official told CNN that Trump wanted the war to end.

The official said the President “wants the war to stop entirely so the senseless killing ends.”

The latest incidents have intensified concerns among American businesses operating in Ukraine over the security of their investments, the protection of civilian infrastructure and the potential consequences of continued Russian attacks.