Netflix is suspending services to Russia!
Netflix announced on Sunday that it is going further in response to the worsening violence in Ukraine and pulling its streaming service entirely from Russia.
The streaming giant released a statement; “Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,”
Earlier last week, Netflix began pulling up stakes in Russia with the announcement that it would not comply with laws requiring them to broadcast 20 free, state-run broadcast channels on their service, following in the footsteps of tech companies like YouTube, Meta and Twitter which have blocked ad revenue to Russian channels like RT and Sputnik.
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. The streamer boasts 222 million subscribers globally. It operates the service as a joint venture with Russia’s National Media Group.
Netflix also recently announced that it would make its 2015 documentary “Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom,” available to watch for free. The non-fiction film centers on the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine, which were sparked by former president Viktor Yanukovych’s decision not to sign an agreement with the European Union and instead choose to strengthen ties to Russia. Those protests ultimately resulted in Yanukovych’s ouster. It also exacerbated tensions with Russia, with Vladimir Putin using the overthrow as a pretext for invading and annexing the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.