Bar offers free shots for every Russian plane shot down

A pub in Ramsgate, Kent, has defended its controversial decision to offer out free shots toasting Russian aircraft shot down in Ukraine.

Staff at Coastal Bar in Kent gave out free blue and yellow shots to customers, designed to look like the Ukrainian flag.

The pub was criticised for giving out free shots to patrons for each Russian jet shot down by the Ukrainian fighter pilot dubbed the ‘Ghost of Kyiv’.

The ‘Peace in Ukraine’ shots were offered to customers on Saturday night, and posted on the pub’s social media pages.

But Coastal Bar came under criticism for the decision to celebrate planes being shot down.

Commenter Chrissey Smith wrote on the post: “You missed a trick to send money to help with the humanitarian effort to help people in 🇺🇦 .”

She added: “Hope some of your profits are going to Ukraine.”

In defence of staff’s decision to hand out free shots, Coastal Bar posted on Facebook: “These shots were in solidarity with Ukraine and were given out for free.”

The comment continued: “These were made at the request of a few regular customers. People talking about peace in Ukraine is never a bad thing and to raise its profile just in the same that most people have changed their profile pictures to the Ukrainian flag.”

Facebook comments have since been limited on the original post, but KentOnline reported yesterday that while some hailed the free shots as “brilliant” and “such a good idea”, others said the sentiment left an “awful taste in my mouth”, especially if no funds were raised for Ukraine.

The bar has since taken the decision to stop selling Russian vodka, replacing it with a Ukrainian brand and attempting to find a way to sell it back to the supplier.

Find out about other bars dumping Russian vodka here.