Microsoft is the latest tech giant to suspend operations and sales in Russia this week due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. “We are announcing today that we will suspend all new sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia,” stated Brad Smith, President, and Vice-Chair of Microsoft.
Microsoft adds that, in addition to halting sales, it is proactively cooperating with Ukrainian cybersecurity officials to fight against Russian cyber attacks.
“Since the war began, we have acted against Russian positioning, destructive or disruptive measures against more than 20 Ukrainian government, IT and financial sector organizations. We have also acted against cyberattacks targeting several additional civilian sites,” Smith adds in the blog post.
With the assistance of the Microsoft Philanthropies and UN Affairs teams, Microsoft is also supporting resources on the ground. The corporation is always in contact with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Red Cross agencies in order to provide financial and technical assistance.
This week, Russia has been slammed with severe penalties from all across the world. Flights have been grounded by the US government, and companies have ceased operations in the area. Apple also ceased selling its goods in the nation, and other companies like Airbnb, Google, and YouTube all ceased operations.
The Ukrainian Ministry even wrote to ICANN, requesting that Russian websites and servers be decommissioned. Meanwhile, Russia is claimed to have restricted access to social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as news organizations such as the BBC, across the nation.
Ukraine’s civil war is far from over, with neither country able to reach an amicable settlement. Global involvement is required, but most nations and organizations are looking for diplomatic avenues to defuse tensions.