A global confectionery giant that produces Britain's beloved Cadbury Dairy Milk stands accused of fuelling Vladimir Putin's war machine. Mondelez International, the US-based conglomerate behind brands like Oreo and Toblerone, continues to operate in Russia despite mounting pressure to sever all ties with the Kremlin. A new investigation by the Kyiv School of Economics has uncovered evidence suggesting that Mondelez paid at least $17 million in taxes to the Russian state in the past year. That money, say activists, directly supports the invasion of Ukraine.
Documents obtained by this newsroom show that Mondelez's Russian subsidiary, which employs over 2,500 people, has been quietly importing raw materials from countries like Germany and Italy. These imports have been routed through third parties in Belarus and Kazakhstan, a common tactic to circumvent Western sanctions. The company has not only refused to exit the Russian market. It has actually increased production at its factories in Vladimir and Sobinka.
The implications are staggering. Every chocolate bar sold in Moscow or St Petersburg represents a small but real contribution to the Kremlin's war chest. Mondelez has argued that it remains in Russia to provide essential food products and to support its local employees. But critics say this is a weak excuse, especially when compared to other multinationals like McDonald's and Coca-Cola, which shuttered their Russian operations within weeks of the invasion.
Sources close to the Ukrainian government confirm that Mondelez is now being investigated for potential violations of international sanctions. The company's lobbying efforts in Washington and Brussels have been frantic. Internal emails, seen by this reporter, reveal a strategy of delay and obfuscation. Mondelez executives knew as early as March 2022 that staying in Russia would be a reputational disaster, but they chose profit over principle.
This is not the first time Mondelez has faced scrutiny for its ties to authoritarian regimes. In 2019, the company was fined $13 million by the US Department of Justice for bribing officials in India and Russia. The corporate culture appears unchanged. Under the leadership of CEO Dirk Van de Put, Mondelez has prioritised shareholder returns over human rights.
The British public has a right to be outraged. Every purchase of a Cadbury product, whether a Creme Egg or a Flake, generates revenue for a company that is actively bankrolling a war criminal. The UK government has so far refused to impose a full ban on Mondelez imports, citing trade agreements. But the pressure is building. Consumer boycotts are already hitting sales in stores across London and Manchester.
I have reached out to Mondelez for comment. They did not deny the tax payments. Instead, a spokesperson reiterated that the company complies with all applicable sanctions laws. That is the coldest comfort. When the bombs fall on Kyiv, they are paid for in part by the sweet taste of chocolate.
The question now is whether the British government will act. Or will it allow a candy maker to continue its quiet complicity in one of the darkest chapters of modern European history? The answer lies in the documents we have uncovered. And they do not make for pleasant reading.
