COLUMBUS — Gov. Mike DeWine over the weekend ordered the Ohio Department of Commerce to stop all purchases and sales of Russian-made vodka in response to that country’s invasion of Ukraine last week.
Russian Standard is the only overseas, Russian-owned vodka distillery with vodka sold in Ohio, according to DeWine’s press release.
South Street Grille, a restaurant and bar in Ashland, posted on Facebook it would pull “all Russian-produced liquor from our building,” and that it is working on finding substitutions.
“So please have a little patience with us as we’re trying to do the right thing,” reads the post.
Red Fox Tavern in Mansfield has also decided to follow the order, according to a bartender there.
Russian Standard’s vodka is sold under the brand names of Green Mark Vodka and Russian Standard Vodka, the release states.
The Ohio Division of Liquor Control, a division of the Ohio Department of Commerce, said there are around 6,400 bottles of vodka made by Russian Standard currently for sale in Ohio’s 487 liquor agencies.
In response to the governor’s order, the DOLC directed those retailers to immediately pull Green Mark Vodka and Russian Standard Vodka from shelves.
All other brands of vodka that are sold in Ohio, including those branded with Russian names, are purchased from distilleries not located in Russia, the release states.
Governors in Utah, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania have also made similar moves, which are largely symbolic gestures meant to show support to Ukraine.
Texas’ governor has made the move optional for bars and restaurants.
Canadian provinces have also ordered provincial liquor stores to stop selling Russian-made brands.
While vodka remains the top spirit in the U.S., both by revenue and volume, only 1.2% of U.S. vodka imports came from Russia in the first half of 2021, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, which tracks such data.
The governor also declared Sunday a statewide Day of Prayer for the people of Ukraine and had the Eastern European country’s flag flying at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
