This article was published on March 28, 2022

All the apps and services you can’t use in Russia right now


All the apps and services you can’t use in Russia right now Image by: Unsplash

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine started last month, and as a response, various tech companies started to discontinue or limit their services in the country. Some of those were voluntary, and some of those were driven by international sanctions.

Here’s a running list of all the companies and digital services paused or discontinued in Russia:

  • Apple Pay: Last month, after Russian banks were hit with sanctions, Apple decided to shut down its payment services to follow those regulations.
  • Apple Store: Earlier this month, the iPhone maker said that it’s suspending all sales of physical products in Russia following the invasion. It also barred apps of state-sponsored media apps like RT News and Sputnik outside the country on the App Store.
  • Adobe: Adobe stopped selling all its software and services on March 4. This has already had an impact on Russian artists and print media.
  • Amazon: Amazon has suspended its retail delivery and Prime Video services for Russian customers. The company’s cloud infrastructure service, Amazon Web Services (AWS), has stopped accepting new customers, and is banning anyone that uses the platform to “threaten, incite, promote or actively encourage violence, terrorism or other serious harm.”
Critics say many workers will be forced to accept the AI surveillance, and that Amazon is 'actively facilitating the prosecution of its drivers.'
Credit: Tony Webster
Amazon has stopped all its service in Russia
Credit: Giordano Rossoni/Unsplash
No more Netflix and Chill
  • Nokia: The Finnish network equipment maker has stopped providing services in Russia. But it has left behind an infrastructure that aids the Russian government’s surveillance.
  • PayPal: The fintech giant joined other companies in opposing the war, and discontinued its services across Russia.
  • Sony: Sony’s studio division has stopped releases of its upcoming feature films in Russia along with PlayStation 5 sales, and Sony Music operations.
  • Spotify: The music streaming app suspended its services, citing a new law that penalizes companies and individuals for spreading false information about its ‘military operation’ in Ukraine.
  • Samsung: The Korean tech giant has stopped shipments to Russia. The company is one of the biggest smartphone vendors in the country, alongside Apple and Xiaomi.
Samsung is one of the big-name phone manufacturers to abandon Russia.

This is not an exhaustive list; we’ll keep updating it as the situation unfolds in that part of the world.

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