Apple, Nike Among Many Companies Halting Sales in Russia

Apple, Nike, and many other companies are ceasing sales in Russia.

Apple helped instigate a rapid exodus of businesses from the nation of 135 million due to its ongoing assault on Ukraine.

The company is pausing all product sales and removing Russian news sources RT News and Sputnik News from its App Store. It has not cut off its Russia-based App Store, according to reports from late Tuesday.

Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman estimated Apple’s annual sales in Russia in the “low-single-digit billions.”

• Nike shied away from political statements in cutting off online sales to the region, saying it “cannot guarantee delivery of goods to customers in Russia.”
• The NHL is cutting off business-partner relationships in Russia and suspending Russian language news and social media sites. MassMutual and CCM both paused marketing efforts featuring Russian star Alex Ovechkin.
• Disney, Sony, WarnerMedia, and Universal are putting film releases on hold in the country.
• Ford Motor Co. and Mercedes Benz-owned Daimler Truck AG are also stopping operations in Russia, as are several energy companies. 

Apple’s Reversal

Prior to Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Apple had been expanding operations in the country. 

The company opened a corporate office in Moscow last month in response to a push from Russia for tech firms to establish a physical presence in the country.