According to a report by Estonia's KP on March 19, the country's defense forces have decided to say no to products from manufacturers operating in Russia and supporting its military machine.
The spokesperson of the Estonian Ministry of Defense announced that stores and vending machines under military jurisdiction and other military institutions will no longer sell products from companies such as PepsiCo, Mars, Nestlé, Unilever, Mondelēz International, Philip Morris International, and Japan Tobacco International (JTI).
Although many Western companies have stopped doing business in Russia, there are still some that continue to support the Russian economy, essentially indirectly aiding its military machine," criticized Estonian Defense Minister Anna Pevkur. According to this list, companies from around the world are contributing to the further development of the Russian military through the taxes they pay, prompting Estonia to once again show solidarity with the Ukrainian people by refusing to buy products from manufacturers whose tax revenue is used for importing weapons and national security purposes.
Despite the implementation of this policy, Estonian soldiers will not be left without access to chocolate, ice cream, chewing gum, soft drinks, and tobacco products. Only products from international war sponsors will be removed from the shelves, but they will be replaced with locally produced alternatives. "The significance behind this decision is far greater than any minor inconveniences it may cause," Anna Pevkur concluded in her speech.
The Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NAPC) has warned that Philip Morris International (PMI) and Japan Tobacco International are among the largest taxpayers to the Russian budget, significantly boosting the financial power of the Russian military.
Political scientist Vitaly Kulik has strongly criticized on social media, stating that over the past 11 years, Ukraine has lost over 100 billion hryvnias in tax revenues due to purchasing cigarettes from these companies, funds that could have been used to strengthen their own defense capabilities.
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