Netflix Discontinues Operations In Russia Over Military Assault On Ukraine

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has reverberated around the world. The fighting, which has barely been on for more than a few weeks, has resulted in the massive loss of lives on both sides of the divide and has spawned an unmeasurable amount of destruction of buildings and properties.

With the outcry against Russia's actions rising by the day, several big conglomerates have stepped up to support Ukraine in the only way within their means. They have imposed sanctions and other penalties to forestall Russia's economic growth and destabilize business and financial activities within the country.

Now, as per Variety, Netflixis the latest media giant to join the bandwagon of Ukraine's supporters, as they have suspended access to their platform for users in Russia.

In a recent announcement, Netflix stated they had enforced plans to suspend all their operations in Russia. The streaming service cited that Russia's incursion into Ukraine has left them with no choice but to impose their own form of sanction.

Netflix's actions show its allegiance with Zelensky's country, which has been on the receiving end of the military onslaught. Following its announcement about the sanctions, Netflix did not share any details on how they'll address billing difficulties or reimbursements for existing users.

Financial services in Russia have taken a major hit as several American providers have also withdrawn their services. As such, it would be difficult for refunds to take place, given the major breakdown that has hampered international transactions.

Netflix has also paused its filming of a Russian original called "Zato, a crime series that backdrops after the end of the Soviet Union, and directed by Darya Zhuk," The nineties inspired detective thriller joins two other movies on the list of Netflix-Russia film projects which has been suspended till further notice.

Before suspending their services in Russia, Netflix had earlier refused to air propaganda content on their platform, rebelling against a new law that was enacted for visual and media services in the country. The provisions of the law dictate that all streaming services with more than 100 thousand subscribers must carry 20 main Russian government television stations, many of which broadcast Kremlin propaganda.

Netflix has under a million subscribers in Russia following its debut less than a year ago. Although the loss of the services of these subscribers will affect revenues, the company seems satisfied with their sanctions and would make do with what they have already.

The international community has also reacted forcefully to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In addition to the penalties, credit card companies, Amazon, EA Sports, Apple, Intel, AMD, and a slew of other businesses have pulled or limited their services and goods.

Hollywood has become more hostile to Russia in recent days, with Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, Sony, and Universal all postponing forthcoming film releases. Turning Red, The Batman, Morbius, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 are among the films affected by the media giant's sanctions.

The Cannes Film Festival has announced that no Russian delegations or visitors with official links would be allowed to participate in its film event in May. Also, Russian films will not be eligible for the upcoming European Film Awards, according to the European Film Academy.

On the gaming side, Activision Blizzard and Epic Games have pulled out their services in Russia. Both suspensions would apply to physical and digital sales across the country.

Given the increase in the refugee crisis that has resulted from the war, most media giants are unanimously joining hands to offer financial and humanitarian aid to help Ukraine.

Spokesman Alegre from Action Blizzard also emphasized the company's support for the Ukrainian people. By matching employee gifts 2:1, the firm has raised over $300,000, and the matching cap will be doubled from $1,000 to $10,000.

Disney also released a statement that revealed they were also involved in alleviating the troubles of the embattled Ukrainians. "We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation," a Disney spokesperson said. "In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees."