Microsoft lays off hundreds of Russia employees over bleak outlook – media


The company joins a cascade of Western businesses significantly reducing their presence in Russia amidst the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine.

Microsoft will slash its operation in Russia over the bleak economic outlook impacting its business, an email obtained by Bloomberg said.

While the company said it would continue fulfilling its contractual obligations for customers in Russia, all new sales will be suspended. The decision will affect 400 employees in Russia.

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Major companies such as Apple, Nike, and Dell have severed connections with Russia amidst the war in Ukraine. Many tech firms left the country once the war began on 24 February.

Meta's Facebook and Alphabet's Google have also taken measures to limit Russian state media from making money off ads on their platforms.

Russian lawmakers finned Facebook and Instagram declaring their parent company Meta extremist.' Many Western tech companies allowed the spread of information regarding Russia's war in Ukraine.

Moscow, however, still calls the aggression a 'special military operation,' banning several Russian media outlets for not adhering to the rules.

Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. According to the United Nations, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has created the 'fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.' Over 12.8 million people were displaced due to the conflict, with over 6.9 million fleeing the country.

Witness testimonies from Ukrainian towns Russian forces have occupied for close to a month point to severe human rights violations and targeted lethal attacks against civilians. Reports of 'gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights' got Russia suspended from the UN Human Rights Council.

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