Netflix Suspends Service in Russia, Citing ‘Circumstances on the Ground’ Amid Invasion of Ukraine

The streaming company confirmed its decision to "suspend our service in Russia" after previously saying it wouldn't carry state-run channels.

March 6, 2022

The Netflix building in Hollywood is pictured — Image via Getty/Robyn Beck/AFP
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Netflix service in Russia has been suspended amid ongoing concerns over the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

As reported by Reuters and others on Sunday, the company has suspended its service in Russia after earlier this week temporarily stopping projects in the country. Last month, the streaming platform was among those to confirm it would not be adding federal-run channels to its service there, although a recently reported law would have required such a thing.

When reached for comment by Complex on Sunday, a Netflix spokesperson offered the following:

TikTok, meanwhile, was also reported this weekend to have suspended certain services in Russia. On Sunday, per an Associated Press report, the ByteDance-owned social media service said that users in Russia would not be able to share new videos or streams. Additionally, users will not be able to see clips shared by those who are located outside the country.

In a tweeted statement, a TikTok spokesperson confirmed that the platform’s in-app messaging components “will not be affected.”

When reached for comment by Complex, a TikTok rep directed us to this page about the company’s work to protect its community amid the invasion of Ukraine.

A number of companies and platforms have made similar announcements in recent days, including—as broken down here—Visa and MasterCard. Both entities have suspended operations in Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine.