According to activists, the campaign began as a response to a series of economic wars launched by Russia against Ukraine, including the "Meat War", the "Cheese War", and the "Chocolate War." On August 14, 2013, the Federal Customs Service of Russia listed all Ukrainian exporters as companies "at risk", resulting in a blockade of Ukrainian products imported to Russia. A backup developed at customs involving hundreds of truckloads and railcars of Ukrainian goods.
Boycotts
In Ukraine
On August 22, 2013, activists held a protest near the Presidential Administration of Ukraine. The campaign continued with a mass distribution of leaflets, posters and stickers in more than 45 cities and towns in Ukraine. Caricatures of Russian Matryoshka dolls have been used in the campaign. The campaign began to decline with the beginning of Euromaidan. On March 2, 2014, activists used social networks to announce the renewal of the boycott on any goods and services that benefit Russian companies. The intention was to keep Ukrainian money from going to Russia where it may be used to support the Russian military. The boycott was launched in response to the Crimean crisis and the Russian military intervention in Ukraine. In March 2014, activists began organizing flash mobs in supermarkets to urge customers not to buy Russian goods and to boycott Russian gas stations, banks, and concerts. In April 2014, some movie theaters in Kiev, Lviv, and Odessa began shunning Russian films. In summer of 2014, activists in Kiev began organizing flash mobs and actions in Russian restaurants and coffeehouses. In the end of August 2014 activists have started a campaign "Boycott Russian Films" against Russian movies and serials on Ukrainian media space. By April 2014, some Russian manufacturers changed their barcodes from Russian to Ukrainian. Titled Boycott Invaders, an Androidapp was developed to identify products from Russia, including those disguising their origin.
Sales of Russian goods in Ukraine decreased by 35-50% in the spring of 2014. In May 2014, Ukrainian supermarkets began to abandon the procurement of Russian goods. Delivery of goods from Russia fell by a third. In April 2014 it was reported that producers from Russian Federation are changing Russian barcodes with barcodes of other countries. Moreover, there are revealed facts of illegal masking of Russian products in some Ukrainian supermarkets. From January to May 2014, according to Standard & Poor's ratings, banks with Russian capital in Ukraine lost more than 50% of deposits. According to comparison test of Russian TV series watching ratings in Ukraine for 2013 and for 2014, total ratings dropped by a third. As of mid of May 2014 it is known that Ukrainian supermarkets have started to massively abandon purchases of Russian goods. Supply amounts from Russian Federation decreased by a third.
Public opinion
According to "Taylor Nelson Sofres" Internet research in Ukraine, in March–April 2014 — 52% of Ukrainians are positive or "rather positive" about the boycott of Russian products. According to the survey, 39% of Ukrainians are involved into the boycott. Further survey campaign revealed that from July to August 2014, support of Russian products boycott increased from 52% to 57%. The number of people who are personally taking part in boycott of Russian products increased from 40% to 46%. According to data reported by TSN, in September 2014, 50% of Ukrainians joined Russian products boycott.
Criticism
The idea of a boycott was supported by Fozzy Group, a Ukrainian group of companies that owns and manages retail stores, but was not supported by Ukrainian representative offices of "Auchan Ukraine" and "Metro Cash and Carry" retail groups. The reason was explained as a part of their apolitical vision. Andriy Dlihach, "Advanter Group" CEO, urged not to ban Russian products and to concentrate on buying Ukrainian ones instead. Ukrainian and Russian-speaking blogger Danylo Vakhovskyi said that he is consciously using Russian internet services and will continue to do so, because it is a way to support "the creation of a favorable environment for entrepreneurship" in Russia. Although it is "not patriotic, but to support entrepreneurs "with ruble", it is to give opportunity for the development of new projects, that is changing world for the better". The blogger also presented some examples of such projects, including these websites: QIWI, Ostrovok.ru and Kaspersky Anti-Virus.
