On February 21, the Russian military targeted the Mondelez facility in Trostyanets, located in the Sumy region of Ukraine. This information was confirmed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
A Russian missile struck one of the production buildings at Mondelez, a significant American investment in Ukraine’s independent economy. Mondelez operates in Ukraine, producing chocolate, cookies, and savory snacks, including the Trostyanets chocolate factory.
“This is not a military site, but a factory that has been operational since the 1990s, producing globally recognized brands, providing jobs for Ukrainians, and contributing to both our and the American economy,” Sybiha stated.
Sybiha emphasized that the ongoing conflict poses a threat to U.S. business interests in Europe. He remarked,
“Moscow cannot discuss economic dialogue with the United States while simultaneously attacking U.S.-owned production facilities.”
Oleg Grygorov, head of the Sumy Regional State Administration, reported that the Russian army launched a missile strike on the civilian enterprise in Trostyanets during the day on February 21, with no casualties reported.
Attacks on American Businesses in Ukraine
In August of the previous year, Russia targeted the American company Flex in Mukachevo with two Kalibr missiles. Flex is one of the largest companies in the Transcarpathia region, specializing in electronics and design.
Additionally, one of the summer attacks on Kyiv damaged the premises of the American aerospace company Boeing. Reports from the Financial Times indicated significant damage, suggesting that the strike on the company’s office may have been deliberate, based on information from Boeing employees, Ukrainian officials, and the head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.
On January 5 of this year, Russian drones attacked the American Bunge factory in Dnipro, which is based in St. Louis, Missouri. Minister Sybiha noted that during the ongoing war, approximately half of the members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine have experienced damage or destruction to their facilities to varying extents.
The Russian military's missile strike on Mondelez's facility in Trostyanets underscores the ongoing risks to U.S. businesses in Ukraine. This incident is part of a broader pattern of attacks on American companies operating in the region.