Microsoft is suspending all new sales of its products and services in Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. Microsoft announced its intentions in a March 4 blog post by President and Vice-Chair Brad Smith.
Smith said Microsoft is “coordinating closely and working in lockstep with the governments of the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, and we are stopping many aspects of our business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanctions decisions.”
Earlier this week, Microsoft announced its plans to try to help protect Ukraine from cyberattacks, protect people from state-sponsored disinformation campaigns, and support humanitarian assistance in Ukraine. Microsoft says it found a new malware package — which it calls “FoxBlade” — hours before Russia began its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Smith’s blog post didn’t mention existing contracts that Microsoft has with Russian customers. Corporate Vice President of Communications Frank Shaw said that U.S.-government-imposed sanctions also apply to some existing Microsoft Russian customers. Smith’s blog post also did not mention any plans around the Microsoft Russia office and Shaw had nothing further to add on that front.
Microsoft “will take additional steps as this situation continues to evolve,” Smith said in his post.
