Culture

Netflix suspends service in Russia amid invasion of Ukraine

07 Mar 2022

Photo used for illustrative purposes.

Gulf Today Report

Streaming giant Netflix has suspended its services in Russia to protest the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Earlier this week, the streaming service had announced that it would pause all future projects and acquisitions from Russia, joining a growing list of companies that have cut ties with the country, reports variety.com.

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Netflix had four Russian originals in the works, including a crime thriller series directed by Dasha Zhuk, which was shooting and has since been put on hold. Netflix also recently refused to carry 20 Russian free-to-air propaganda channels that it was required to host under the Russian law.

Now, the company is taking an additional step in shutting down its service entirely, according to IANS.

"Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia," a spokesperson for Netflix said.

The economic blowback that Russia has faced in the wake of its decision to go to war with Ukraine has been intense. Not only is the country grappling with extensive sanctions, but many corporations and organisations have pulled out of Russia.

Companies like Microsoft, Apple and Dell have announced that they have suspended sales in the country, while Ikea has closed stores and Nike has said it will no longer fulfill online orders. On the entertainment front, all of the major studios have announced they will stop releasing their films in Russia.

Netflix is somewhat of a newcomer to Russia. It launched its service in 2016 and has a relatively small presence, with roughly one million subscribers.