Many Ukrainians shared their resentment across social networks after reports emerged claiming a French-based dairy giant Danone released a video commercial featuring Russian movie star Mikhail Porechenkov.
The thing is, Ukrainian security forces have long charged the Russian actor with terrorism after his controversial appearance in the Donbas warzone in 2014.
A Russian propaganda video captured him shooting a massive Utious machine gun at the positions of Ukrainian troops defending the Donetsk airport before it was eventually destroyed and seized by Russian-controlled forces.
An EU Observer author Roman Sohn echoed the outrage on Twitter: "If a Western actor so much as makes a racist or xenophobic comment, it's enough to end their career. But if you're a Russian who participated in a bloody war of aggression, you suffer no damage to your reputation or career. In fact, it gets you hired by @Danone."
If a Western actor so much as makes a racist or xenophobic comment, it's enough to end their career. But if you're a Russian who participated in a bloody war of aggression, you suffer no damage to your reputation or career. In fact, it gets you hired by @Danone.#BoycottDanonehttps://t.co/z5lUMGJiNE
— Roman Sohn (@RomanSohn) June 9, 2020
Danone's Ukraine office has commented on the reverberating issue, noting that they cannot stand aside and find the situation sad, adding, however, that they exercise no control over the "shaping of commercial, advertising, and communication policies in other countries, including in Russia". The company's local officers function independently, the statement adds, addressing challenges arising in the respective markers, "driven by demand of local consumers".
