Microsoft announces plans to completely withdraw operations in Russia over Ukraine war

Microsoft has revealed plans to completely wind down operations in Russia due to Western sanctions, Press United reported. As Putin’s war on Ukraine continues to draw repercussions from US and its allies, company’s president, Br Smith, said that it would continue to scale back business in country until re is nothing left. With announcement, Microsoft joins a dozen of or Western firms that have partially or fully pulled back from Vlimir Putin-led country. 

Earlier this month, tech giant h announced that it will considerably scale down services in Russia but would fulfil all existing contractual bonds with its customers. In March, Microsoft halted all its new sales and sanctions in country. Meanwhile, speaking to Washington Post in an online interview, Smith clarified that regardless of pull-out, company will still provide support for its Russian workforce. 

“As a result of changes to economic outlook and impact on our business in Russia, we have me decision to significantly scale down our operations in Russia,” a Microsoft spokesperson said.

Multinational giants quit Russian markets 

In retaliation to Putin's unprovoked war on Ukraine, a huge number of multinationals have quit Russian market. Tech giants such as Apple, Google and food retailers such as Starbucks, McDonald's, and KFC are some big names that have alrey left. Late last month, American Coffee Chain Starbucks decided to call it quits in Russian Federation as President Vlimir Putin’s war in Ukraine has completed three months. While it alrey halted its shipment to country’s market back in March, Starbucks has now announced that it will entirely quit Russian market.

Meanwhile, fast-food chain McDonald's said that it has started process of selling its Russian business, which includes 850 restaurants that employ 62,000 people, making it latest major Western corporation to exit Russia since it inved Ukraine. Earlier in March, Apple Inc. announced that it has "paused all product sales in Russia." In a statement released by iPhone maker, authorities also informed that Apple has also decided to stop all exports to Russia and "limited" its payment services Apple Pay for citizens of country.

(Image: AP)