Russia strikes Coca-Cola factory near Kyiv in "signal to America"

Russia struck a Coca-Cola factory outside Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

In his nightly address, the Ukrainian president said Shahed drones had targeted a plant operated by the soft drinks giant in Brovary, a city less than 30 kilometres east of the capital.

Mr Zelensky said the latest attack on a facility belonging to a major US firm was a ‘signal to America’.

He said: ‘Today, the Russians have hit a Coca-Cola plant with their drone. Coca-Cola is such an enemy that they set it on fire with their Shaheds.

‘It’s a clear Russian signal to America. The Russians cannot be unaware that this is an American facility.’

Andy Hunder, the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine, confirmed that no staff at the plant were injured in the strike.

‘The company is working with the relevant authorities to assess the situation’, he said.

‘Ensuring the safety and well-being of people remains top priority.’

The Ukrainian president also confirmed that a US negotiating team is expected to visit both Kyiv and Moscow in the coming days in a bid to bring an end to the four-and-half-year-old war.

‘There are preliminary dates. We expect to see representatives of the U.S. president here in Kyiv’, Mr Zelensky said in his address last night.

Donald Trump told GB News in an interview broadcast yesterday he wanted ‘to see that end’ to the war, adding ‘I think we’ll get it’.

The US president also reiterated a claim that European nations should reimburse his country for military aid provided to Ukraine.

He wrote on X: ‘Hundreds of Billions of Dollars was given to Ukraine and NATO, free of charge, that Europe would have paid for — If they were only asked, but we will be asking for that money, though somewhat belatedly’.

The US army is thought to have used up much of its stockpile of long-range missiles on the war in Iran, raising questions about its readiness to fight conflicts on other fronts.

Russian forces also claimed to have hit two cargo vessels in the Black Sea which were transporting weapons, ammunition and military equipment to Ukraine.

Ukraine’s navy said it had struck a ship in the Black Sea port city of Sochi, which hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics.

It said the vessel, named Nefrit, was supporting oil and gas operations, servicing offshore facilities, transporting cargo and personnel, and carrying out underwater engineering work.