Music and podcast streamer Spotify has ceased all operations in Russia effective immediately, and announced plans to send aid to Ukraine.
Earlier this month, Spotify, the podcast and music streaming service, suspended its subscription service in Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine, which is now in its second month. While the earlier action wasn’t a permanent shutdown, it sounds like Spotify has decided to tackle the issue more seriously. Via Variety, Spotify has completely halted operations in Russia, which will cost the company approximately 1.5 million subscribers.
“Spotify has continued to believe that it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information in the region,” said a company spokesman in a new statement. “Unfortunately, recently enacted legislation further restricting access to information, eliminating free expression, and criminalizing certain types of news puts the safety of Spotify’s employees and possibly even our listeners at risk.
Additionally, Spotify announced its plans to aid the citizens of Ukraine with the help of its own employees. Any employee donation will be matched by the company on a two-to-one basis and will aid humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Spotify is now the latest American company to pull out of Russia over the war, leaving a big gap behind for the citizens of that country. It’s unclear which companies will return to Russia, even when the war is eventually resolved.