Ottawa's Moscow Tea Room holding fundraiser to support Ukraine

A ByWard Market lounge that was receiving anti-Russian and hateful messages is planning a fundraiser for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

The Moscow Tea Room says on Friday, March 18, 100 per cent of their sales will go to support Global Medic and to help the people of Ukraine.

“It is not about business anymore; it is about purpose and doing what is right. What Russia is doing to Ukraine is completely wrong. I feel for the Ukrainian people,” says owner Abbis Mahmoud.

Mahmoud owns Dreammind Group, which runs Moscow Tea Room on Sussex Drive. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, they have been receiving hateful messages that have only gotten worse. “I am not even Russian. It is shocking,” he says. “I am Lebanese, I came here as a war refugee. I still have nightmares about it.”

Mahmoud says, “People are telling me to go back to my country and I better do A, B, C, D. People demanding I change the name.”

Mahmoud says they have managed to take down most of the hateful messages and reviews.

Despite the hate mail, Mahmoud says he has no intention of changing the name. He says it is about standing with the Russian community in Ottawa that is being unfairly targeted.

“You can’t paint everyone with the same brush. We are not Russian, but even if we were, you can’t paint us with the same brush. That is wrong for me. There is absolutely no chance we will ever change the name.”

The Moscow Tea Room no longer sells any Russian vodka or drinks. They have replaced it with Ukrainian Vodka brand Zirkova.

The fundraiser will take place at the Moscow Tea Room to benefit Global Medic. “We are going to give away all the proceeds to the cause.”

Dreammind Group owns other venues across Ottawa that will also be supporting Ukraine, “We have bought the Ukrainian Vodka Zirkova and we are going to give a dollar from every shot sold to the cause as well of all our venues, we are doing it companywide.

“I would do this if I owned the Moscow Tea Room or not,” says Mahmoud. “The people of Ukraine are suffering, and we have to help them.”