Companies that have been doing business in Russia for decades are now flowing like ants fleeing the destroyed ant hills.
Dozens of large companies have announced that their invasion of neighboring Ukraine will stop sales in Russia, break out of joint ventures, and break away from other types of business relationships in the country.
Some people took a break immediately. For others, escaping will take some time.
Russia’s ever-growing list of companies includes retailers, shippers, automakers and energy companies, in opposition to the attacks that began at the beginning of February 24, which President Vladimir Putin called “special operations.” Some companies participate in global efforts to avoid.
Companies around the world say they have restricted, suspended, or terminated their business activities in Russia, or are considering one of those measures.
Some of them have been connected to it for 30 years since the official collapse of the Soviet Union, building assets and a customer base.
Their individual reasons for escaping from Russia are different.
For some companies, the withdrawal looked like a moral move and was simply intended to punish Moscow and show its support for Ukraine.
To others, it seemed to be a more uncertain decision about logistics and the safe access of their people and products to and from the country while the security of the region was in turmoil. ..
Some people appeared to be concerned about potential consumer backlash if they were not immediately separated from Russia.
Others said there was a move to fully comply with the sanctions mandated by the government.
Undoubtedly, discussions in many conference rooms focus on how to make meaningful swipes in Putin, Russia, which can overly hurt or anger the 144 million people who live there. there is no.
If not treated with caution, the move to leave Russia can be financially backfired if those companies want to resume their business in Russia.
Multinational Apple soon announced the discontinuation of iPhone and all other products in Russia.
Alphabet, a multinational company and parent company of Google and other subsidiaries, has removed the state-owned Russia Today (RT) from news-related features such as the Google News Search Tool.
Microsoft has stated that it will remove the RT Media application from the Windows App Store and will not display RT content.
Facebook also said it has restricted RT content.
Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson has stopped operating in Russia and has stopped shipping motorcycles in Russia.
Putin was filmed in 2010 and left a biker gathered in Ukraine on a three-wheeled Harley.
The Swiss mammoth shipping company MSC, the Danish Maersk, and the French CMA CGM have all suspended voyages to and from Russia, except for the delivery of essentials.
According to the shipper, the movement of other cargo was suspended indefinitely.
Atlanta-based United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx in Memphis, two of the world’s largest logistics companies, offer delivery services to both Russia and Ukraine in light of intrusion, similar to Deutsche Post DHL in Germany. Said it stopped.
The list of companies out of business in Russia includes Swedish streaming service Spotify, multinational household goods retailer IKEA, German software maker SAP, Texas software giant Oracle, Swedish clothing company H & M, and US-based. Mastercard, VISA, Nike, American streaming and production company Netflix.
The Netherlands-based Chicago-based Boeing and Airbus SE, along with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, have announced the suspension of service and support for Russian airlines.
AerCap Holdings, the world’s largest aircraft leasing company, said it would suspend operations with Russian airlines.
Sweden-based China-owned Volvo said it will stop selling and manufacturing cars in Russia. Luxury car maker Aston Martin in the UK and Jaguar Land Rover Automotive, a subsidiary of Tata Motors in India, said they have stopped delivering vehicles to Russia.
General Motors, based in Detroit, said it has also stopped shipping to Russia.
“Our idea is at the Ukrainian people at this point,” GM said in a statement. “The loss of life is a tragedy, and our top priority is the safety of the people in the community.”
Ford, also in Michigan, said it would stop manufacturing and selling in Russia. Germany’s Daimler Truck said it would immediately freeze its business activities there.
Toyota Japan announces the suspension of production at its Russian plant and suspends the shipment of vehicles to Russia. Similarly, Japan’s Honda and Nissan said they would stop delivering cars to the country.
Japanese company Mazda said it will soon stop shipping parts to the joint venture, and Mitsubishi could stop production and sales in Russia, saying it could disrupt the supply chain as a result of sanctions in Russia. Said there is.
German luxury car makers BMW and Mercedes-Benz have said they will stop exporting passenger cars and vans to Russia and stop production there.
Volkswagen of Germany also said it would resume “as soon as the effects of the sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States became apparent” and temporarily suspend delivery of cars to dealers, a VW spokesman said. Said.
Energy companies such as BP and Shell in the UK, Equinor ASA in Norway, and Exxon Mobil based in Texas have all said they will leave Russia, which is rich in oil. However, the intertwining of businesses at various levels has obscured the timeline.
Exxon says it has left an oil and gas business worth more than $ 4 billion.
The European Union said it will give seven Russian banks 10 days to prepare to be separated from the SWIFT messaging system, which enables communications and transactions between financial institutions around the world.
Blocking the use of SWIFT by banks is said to be one of the most powerful tools ever used to sanction Russia.
A handful of banking companies were also thinking about how to leave the country.
Disney, Sony and WarnerMedia have said they have stopped publishing movies in Russia. Dell Technologies said it has stopped selling in both Ukraine and Russia.
Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson and Finland’s Nokia have finished delivery to Russia.
The governors of Utah, New Hampshire, Ohio, and Pennsylvania have ordered state-owned liquor stores to take Russian vodka and other spirits off the shelves.
And Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged all restaurants and liquor stores in his state to voluntarily stop selling Russian goods.
Throughout the United States, daily Americans showed their support for Ukraine and their disapproval of the Russian invasion by posting their videos on social media and pouring Russian-made vodka.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Nanette deals with a wide range of issues, primarily in Georgia and her hometown of Florida. She started as a journalist in the highly competitive daily newspaper market and later launched community newspapers in areas that were later ignored by other media. She has been involved in the writing and editing of various national and international magazines for many years and has been hired to lead the best-selling authors of book publishers. When she’s not chasing the news, Nanette enjoys ranch life with her husband, three kids, and too many horses, goats, cats, and dogs.