Microsoft suspends sales of products and services in Russia

Microsoft has announced that it will suspend all new sales of Microsoft products and services, which would include Xbox consoles, games and services, in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine by the country. Previously, Mykhailo Fedorov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, had asked Xbox, PlayStation and other games development companies and electronic sports platforms that temporarily block all Russian and Belarusian accounts, among other measures.

"Like the rest of the world, we are horrified, angry and saddened by the images and news from the war in Ukraine and condemn this unjustified invasion, not provoked and illegal by Russia." The advertributed to the president and vice president of Microsoft, Brad Smith, begins.

"We announce today that we will suspend all new sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia," the ad continues. "In addition, we are closely coordinating and working together 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.

While the statement does not explicitly mention XBOX or any of the other services and platforms under the Great Microsoft Umbrellas, "Microsoft Products and Services" does a lot of work to refer to all Microsoft products and services. In theory, that would include everything from the sales of Windows operating systems to the latest Bethesda video games, which Microsoft completed its acquisition last year.

"As a company, we are committed to the safety of our employees in Ukraine and we are in constant contact with them to offer them support in many ways, including those who have had to flee to save their life or safety," concludes Microsoft's announcement.. "Like so many others, we support Ukraine to request the restoration of peace, respect for the sovereignty of Ukraine and the protection of his people."

In addition to Microsoft, other important companies, such as Disney and also Warner Bros., have stopped the distribution of their products in Russia and Belarus. Only yesterday, The Witcher III: wild hunting The parent company of the developer CD Projekt Red, CD Projekt, stopped all sales in Russia and Belarus.