Stoli CEO On The Defensive
Despite having a long-standing tradition of sponsoring various LGBT events and organizations, Stoli CEO Val Mendeleev was recently put on the defensive and issued an open letter to the LGBT community stating that “Stolichnaya Vodka has always been, and continues to be, a fervent supporter and friend to the LGBT community.” The statement came in response to Dan Savage’s call on U.S. consumers to dump Russian vodka as a way to “show solidarity with Russian queers and their allies and to help draw international attention to the persecution of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, trans people, and straight allies in Putin’s increasingly fascistic Russia.”