A Russian drone attack struck a Coca-Cola production facility near Kyiv on Thursday, an act that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called “a clear signal from Russia to America.”

The strike targeted the plant near Brovary, east of the Ukrainian capital, during the eighth consecutive day of attacks across the Kyiv region. Footage from the scene showed firefighting crews battling a blaze at the facility, with thick smoke rising above the plant and across nearby fields.

Zelensky: ‘They Are Burning It With Shaheds’

In his nightly video address, Zelensky said Russian forces used Iranian-designed Shahed drones to carry out the attack. “Today, the Russians attacked a Coca-Cola factory with their drones. They consider Coca-Cola such an enemy that they set it on fire with their Shaheds,” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader stressed the attack was deliberate. “The Russians cannot help but know that this is an American enterprise,” he said. “It is a clear signal from Russia to America.”

Casualties and Damage

Local authorities reported at least 13 people were injured in the attack. However, Coca-Cola confirmed that all employees at the Brovary plant were safe and unharmed.

The facility, described by Ukrainian media as one of the largest Coca-Cola plants in Europe, sustained damage in the strike. The American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine confirmed the damage and said the company was “working with the relevant authorities to assess the situation,” adding that “ensuring the safety and well-being of people remains top priority.”

Broader Escalation

The attack came amid a wider escalation in the conflict. On the same day, a Russian drone strike destroyed a Nova Poshta depot in Dnipro, killing one employee and wounding five. Meanwhile, Ukraine has intensified its own drone operations, striking a military-industrial facility in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic and launching multiple attacks on the Russian city of Sochi.