Russian restaurant in NYC targeted over Ukraine
STORY: Vlada von Shats is the co-owner of the Russian Samovar, a restaurant in Manhattan's theater district serving up blini, Chicken Kiev, and flights of infused vodkas.
But she has found that a war an ocean away is now threatening her business.
Some people, outraged over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, are taking their anger out on her Russian restaurant.
But the family behind the business straddles both sides in the conflict and opposes the fighting.
"This is our family. My husband is Ukrainian. My children were half Ukrainian, half Russian. How do you explain that? Two brother nations at war."
"We have family in Russia, I have relatives in St. Petersburg. My husband has relatives in Odessa, which is now preparing to be invaded."
Anti-Russian sentiment in the U.S. has meant that this eatery, established in 1986 by people who fled the Soviet Union, is now tarred by association.
"From day one of the war, we have put the sign up 'We stand with Ukraine. No war,' and we have a Ukrainian flag on our door. Well, that didn't, apparently that didn't send the message clear enough to the people that are still blaming us for the war."
"Now we were called fascists and Nazis on the phone. We've had hate emails. Our sign was kicked in. The reservations, the worst part of business, dropped about 60 percent."
The restaurant was already struggling following closures and gathering restrictions.
Von Shats says she and her business are against the invasion, and support Ukrainian independence.
And she said that as patrons learned the restaurant was being targeted, many decided to show their support.
“I'm getting good emails, my Facebook is flooded with support in messages, and we feel the love, but, still, the business is down, and, still, we worry about our people that are stuck in Ukraine, and, still, we worry left to nurture through our staff that was Ukrainian. We're doing everything possible, everything in our power to help."
