Ukraine said on Wednesday, August 31, that fragments of a Russian missile fell on a mall housing French supermarket Auchan in Kyiv, and repeated calls for the company to leave the Russian market.
Many prominent Western brands left Russia in the wake of Moscow's invasion but Auchan stayed spurring calls from Kyiv for a boycott.
"Fragments of destroyed Russian missile hit a mall in Kyiv, where supermarket AUCHAN is located," Ukraine's Defense Ministry wrote in an English-language social media post. It criticized Auchan for remaining in Russia throughout the invasion, saying it "finances war and suffers from Russian attacks."
"Cynicism, masochism, or stupidity? Exit Russia: this money is too bloody," the ministry said. Ukraine said Wednesday it had downed more than two dozen cruise missiles and a swarm of attack drones across the country in the "most powerful" aerial assault on Kyiv in weeks.
Auchan is owned by the Mulliez family. The company has said it wants to stay in the Russian market to supply the country and keep local staff employed.