Editor’s Note: The war in Ukraine is an ongoing, painful and emotive topic. IGN urges community members to be respectful when engaging in conversation around this subject and does not endorse harassment of any kind.
Netflix has suspended service in Russia in protest of the country’s invasion of Ukraine, Variety reports.
“Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,” a spokesperson for Netflix said.
Netflix launched in Russia in 2016 and sported a relatively small count of one million subscribers. Netflix sports 222 million subscribers across the globe. Netflix’s Russia incarnation was run in partnership with National Media Group, owners of the state-controlled Channel One Russia and multiple private channels.
Earlier this week, Netflix announced it would be halting all acquisitions and projects originating from Russia. The streaming company had four Netflix Originals in production, all of which have been halted. Netflix also recently declined to carry 20 Russian propaganda channels required under Russian law.
Netflix joins the growing list of companies that have cut ties with Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine. Nintendo has put the Switch eShop into “maintenance mode,” meaning no new purchases can be made in the country, while Microsoft has halted all new sales in Russia, including Xbox consoles and games. Other companies that have halted support and/or sales in Russia include Nike, Ikea, Apple, Dell, and major film studios.
Last week, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov similarly called on the video game industry to halt support for Russia and Belarus, addressing Xbox and PlayStation in particular. You can read more about how the video game industry is calling for support for Ukraine here.
Several humanitarian aid organizations are currently accepting donations and support for their efforts to help Ukrainians impacted by the war. They include:
- Save the Children: On the ground right now providing humanitarian aid to children.
- UNICEF: Providing emergency supplies and safe water to communities, as well as care for children on the ground and who have been separated from families.
- Project HOPE: Sending medical supplies and providing health care for refugees.
Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.
