Production has been resumed at the XDar Vodka distillery in Ukraine, according to brand owner Bayadera Group. The facility, in the Cherkassy region 200km south of Kyiv, had been temporarily closed following the invasion by Russia. The 17-year-old distillery had continued to pay its 4,400+ staff during the period of closure, some of whom are currently serving in the Ukrainian military. The XDar distillery is capable of producing around 150m bottles of its namesake vodka per year. Last year, the brand reported sales in excess of 8m nine-litre cases worldwide. The US is a major export market for Bayadera, with Xdar being sold across the country and via specialist alcohol e-tailer Drizly. US importer Liquorum Imports said the decision to reopen the distillery was driven by the desire of its employees to work. "The people at XDar are committed to their employees," said Liquorium CEO Natalya Kolosok. "The employees, while grateful for the assistance, don't just want a cheque, they want purpose. They want to work, which is why, as safely as possible, XDar opened up their facility to resume production." Bayadera is one of the largest alcohol holding companies in Eastern Europe, with 30 distribution offices. The company exports brands, including XDar, to 45 countries, and claims to have donated US$150,000 in support of Ukrainian troops in light of the conflict. Meanwhile, many vodka brands are seeking to distance themselves from Russia following the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Last month, Stoli Group announced a rebrand of its namesake vodka, officially ending the use of the Stolichnaya name in a bid to emphasise the brand’s Latvian heritage. How vodka’s marketing toolbox just became much lighter – Click here for a Just Drinks comment