Intel Suspends Business Operations in Russia

Intel has ceased all business in Russia. The company made the announcement yesterday after the stock market closed. The chip manufacturer cited Russia’s war against Ukraine as the reason. Previously, the company had already suspended all deliveries to customers in Russia and Belarus.

In a brief press release, Intel stressed that it would not abandon its employees in this situation. “We are working to support all of our employees in this difficult situation, including our 1,200 employees in Russia.”

The company also expressed confidence that the decision will have little impact on Intel’s global business. “We have also taken business continuity measures to minimise the disruption to our global operations,” Intel added.

Intel had already sharply criticised the war on Ukraine in early March. “Intel condemns Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has suspended all shipments to customers in Russia and Belarus. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this war, including the people of Ukraine and surrounding countries, as well as everyone around the world who has family, friends and loved ones in the region.”

Intel also launched a fundraising campaign through the Intel Foundation. Furthermore, the company praised the commitment of its employees in neighbouring countries such as Poland, Romania and Germany in helping refugees. “We will continue to stand with the Ukrainian people and the global community in calling for an immediate end to the war and a swift return to peace,” Intel added.

Meanwhile, almost all major tech companies have at least suspended their shipments to Russia. These include Microsoft, AMD, TSMC, IBM, SAP, Oracle, Dell and HPE, among others. The Reuters agency points out that companies and also government agencies in Russia rely on Western technologies to run their IT systems.