Full list of companies cutting ties with Russia as some bars stop selling vodka from the country

RUSSIAN vodkas have been axed from bars and restaurants across the UK in a sign of solidarity against the Ukraine war.

Tanks rolled over Ukraine’s borders last week after president Vladimir Putin ordered his long-feared invasion.

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Today a 40-mile long column of tanks and artillery advanced on Kyiv for what many fear will be the bloodiest battle of Ukraine invasion so far.

Nightcap group, which owns The Cocktail Club, Tonight Josephine and Barrio Familia, has removed the traditional Russian tipple from its 25 bars in London, Birmingham and Bristol. 

And Arc Inspirations, the chain behind the Box, Banyan and Manahatta bars, has also stopped pouring Russian vodka. 

Ex-Dragon’s Den star and CEO of Nightcap group, Sarah Willingham, said: “The devastation in Ukraine is heartbreaking, and I cannot start to comprehend what it must be like for the people of The Ukraine. 

“It’s hard to sit here in our warm safe homes and do nothing. 

“We have donated money, but from a business point of view we (the senior team and the staff) wanted to do something, anything, to show our support and so therefore we have removed all Russian vodka/alcohol from our bars across the whole of the Nightcap estate.  

“It’s a little thing but the more little things we do, the bigger the impact will be.” 

They are not the only companies cutting ties with the nation.

Compare the Market has pulled its adverts which feature Russian meerkat Aleksandr Orlov from appearing around news bulletins due to the Ukraine war.

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Energy companies BP and Shell have announced they are both ditching their interests in Russian oil firms.

Shell is exiting its joint venture with state-backed Gazprom and BP will sell its 20% stake in Rosneft.

Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has paused delivery of its cars to Russia.

German firm Daimler Truck which makes commercial vehicles like Mercedes Benz buses and trucks has frozen its partnership with Russian firm Kamaz.

American car firm General Motors and Sweden’s Volvo have also made similar moves.

The head of the Universities Superannuation Scheme, the UK’s biggest pension fund has said it is offloading around £450m of Russia-linked investments.

The scheme has around half a billion pension customers and £90billion assets.

Uber said it is looking to cut ties with its Russian by accelerating the sale of its stake in Russian ride-hailing firm Yandex.

Meanwhile Mastercard and Visa have blocked Russian financial institutions from their network to comply with sanctions against the country, Reuters reports

Russia is facing economic ruin as severe sanctions start to bite.

Interest rates doubled overnight, the rouble tanked and huge cashpoint queues built up as desperate Russians tried to salvage their savings.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk