American senators who recently visited Ukraine on a working trip emphasized the targeted attacks by Russia against American companies operating in Ukraine during the war. According to them, Russian military actions aim to undermine the economic presence of the United States in the region.
This is reported by Kyiv24
American Companies in the Crosshairs of Russian Strikes
Co-chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jeanne Shaheen, during a briefing held on February 18 in Odesa, reported that half of the American companies doing business in Ukraine have already been affected by Russian attacks. She highlighted that businesses operating in the Odesa region have suffered particularly significant losses — 79% of them have been targeted by Russian shelling.
“American businesses are clearly a target of attacks by Russia and Putin. 50 percent of companies have been hit by Russian strikes,” said co-chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jeanne Shaheen on February 18 during a briefing while she was in Odesa with a delegation of senators after visiting Kyiv.
The senator also noted that American companies are not only continuing operations despite the risks but are also actively participating in exports through the Odesa seaport. However, like Ukrainian enterprises, they have become targets for Russian missile and drone strikes. Businesspeople confirm that the attacks are specifically aimed at American businesses.
Senators’ Position and Ukraine’s Reaction
Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed solidarity with American businesses that continue to operate under wartime conditions and emphasized Russia’s brazen tactics:
He noted that Russia is striking industrial facilities, terminals, and offices using drones and missiles, thereby deliberately undermining the economic resilience of American companies. Overall, he stated that there are currently about 600 American enterprises present in Ukraine.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha previously pointed out the contradictory position of Russia: on one hand, the Kremlin offered the Trump administration a “reset” of economic contacts with the US, while on the other, it actively attacks American facilities on Ukrainian territory. The minister emphasized that such “proposals” are merely a cover for weakening American influence in Europe.
In August 2025, after a Russian strike on an American enterprise in the Transcarpathian region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia “has never and under no circumstances deliberately attacked any facilities not related to Ukraine’s military capabilities.”