Netflix Cuts Off Service to Russia After Facing Pressure Over Ukraine Invasion
WHAT’S LEFT?
The suspension comes after the streaming service halted work on Russian projects and acquisitions, and is just the latest in a series of Western companies bailing out.
Netflix is a goner in Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, the company announced Sunday, after coming under intense public pressure over an initial declaration of nonpartisanship. “Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,” a Netflix spokesperson told Variety. The announcement comes days after the streaming giant announced it would be pausing “all future projects and acquisitions from Russia,” discontinuing at least four Russian-language series in production or post-production until further notice. In the early days of the invasion, the company had insisted it was “nonpartisan,” sparking backlash under hashtags like #CancelNetflix and #netflixstopsupportingrussia. It joins several other tech and media giants that have pulled out of the country over the brutal invasion by Moscow.
