Russia-Ukraine war: Companies that have taken action against Russia

In this article:

Editor's note: This article is no longer being updated, as of March 9, 2022. For our latest coverage of companies reacting to the Russia-Ukraine war read: Here are the companies still doing business in Russia undeterred.

All eyes are on Russia as the West’s growing docket of financial penalties deal a harder-than-expected blow to the country’s economy, challenging a decades-long effort by President Vladimir Putin to make the system sanction-proof.

To add to the economic blowback, Corporate America and a growing number of multinational companies have joined in protest of Moscow’s military attack on Ukraine, moving to sever business dealings with Russia or take a stand in support for Ukrainian refugees.

Measures by the U.S. and Europe, including a move to block some Russian banks from the SWIFT payment network and sanctions on the Central Bank of Russia, have already sent the ruble cratering and kept the Moscow Stock Exchange closed on Monday. A sharper economic fallout is underway, with JPMorgan warning the country is poised to enter a recession.

The repercussions for Russia's financial system, even in early stages and still widening, have already proved so consequential that Deutsche Bank strategist Jim Reid deemed recent events "a financial war."

JPMorgan was the first bank on Wall Street to make a bet on the economic fallout for Russia that could ensue, estimating the country's economy could contract 20% quarter over quarter, saar [seasonal adjusted annualized rate], in 2Q, and around 3.5% for the year.

"These sanctions will almost certainly hit their mark on the Russian economy which now looks headed for a deep recession and the imposition of capital controls," JPMorgan's team said.

Here are a host of big-name companies that have taken action so far:

Starbucks

Coffeehouse Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) said it is upending all business activity in Russia, including shipment of its products and suspension of cafe operations.

Yum Brands

KFC and Pizza Hut parent company Yum Brands Inc. has "suspended all investment and restaurant development in Russia" as it continues to assess options. Russia has been a key market for the fast-food conglomerate, which has at least 1,000 KFC locations and 50 Pizza Hut locations in the country, largely operated as independent franchisees.

McDonald's

McDonald's Corporation (MCD) said the U.S.-based fast-food giant will temporarily close all 850 restaurants in the country and pause operations in its Russian market, heeding to growing criticism over its silence on the conflict even as other multinational companies have severed ties with the nation.

Levi's

Jeans maker Levi's has stopped operations in Russia.

"In 2021, approximately 4% of the company’s total net revenues were derived from Eastern Europe, half of which was related to Russia. But any business considerations are clearly secondary to the human suffering experienced by so many," Levi's said in a statement.

IBM

The company said it has suspended all business in Russia and created and deployed a specialized map that connects Ukrainian IBM employees contractors fleeing the country with IBM colleagues in the immediate CEE region who can offer assistance, including lodging, transportation, food and supplies.

Vanguard

The financial institution has stopped purchases of Russian securities from its actively managed funds and is working to exit positions across its index funds – accounting for less than 0.01% of client assets.

Boeing

Boeing Co. (BA) has suspended purchasing titanium from Russia.

"Our inventory and diversity of titanium sources provide sufficient supply for airplane production, and we will continue to take the right steps to ensure long-term continuity," the planemaker said.

The move follows measures last week including closure of its offices in Kyiv and temporarily halting operations at its Moscow training campus.

HP

HP CEO Enrique Lores announced in a LinkedIn post that the company has halted shipments to Russia and paused all Russian marketing and advertising activities.

EY

Consulting organization EY said it will no longer serve any Russian government clients, state-owned enterprises or sanctioned entities and individuals anywhere in the world. The company also commenced a restructuring of its Russian member firm to separate it from the global network.

Netflix

The streaming giant stopped its service in Russia, including all future projects and acquisitions in the country.

"Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia," a Netflix spokesperson said.

Paypal

The payments company said on March 5 that it shut down its services in Russia due to "the current circumstances."

Mastercard, Visa

Mastercard and Visa announced on March 5 that they are suspending operations in Russia. Earlier in the week the companies blocked several financial institutions in Russia, without specifying the names of firms, from using their payment networks following the rollout of Western sanctions.

"We will continue to work with regulators in the days ahead to abide fully by our compliance obligations as they evolve," Mastercard said in a statement.

Inditex

The Spanish fashion retailer and owner of Zara is closing its 502 shops and stopping online sales in Russia, Reuters reported.

Microsoft

The tech giant's blog announced on March 4 that it is suspending new sales of its products and services in Russia.

"Our single most impactful area of work almost certainly is the protection of Ukraine’s cybersecurity. We continue to work proactively to help cybersecurity officials in Ukraine defend against Russian attacks, including most recently a cyberattack against a major Ukrainian broadcaster," the blog said.

Electronic Arts

The video game maker has stopped sales of its games, content and virtual currency in Russia and Belarus, according to statement on on its website.

[Also read: How media giants are cutting off Russia as crisis evolves]

Julius Baer

The Swiss wealth manager said on March 4 that is has new business with wealthy Russians, Reuters reported.

Ikea

The home furnishing retailer announced on March 3 that it has temporarily paused Ikea operations in Russia and Belarus. "These decisions have a direct impact on 15,000 IKEA co-workers. The ambitions of the company groups are long term and we have secured employment and income stability for the immediate future and provide support to them and their families in the region," said in a statement on its site.

Spotify

Spotify has indefinitely closed its office in Russia, the audio streaming service said Wednesday. "Our first priority over the past week has been the safety of our employees and to ensure that Spotify continues to serve as an important source of global and regional news at a time when access to information is more important than ever," Spotify said in a statement on March 2, according to Reuters.

H&M Group

The Swedish retailer said Wednesday it is temporarily pausing sales in Russia. Its stores in the Ukraine have already been temporarily shuttered for safety reasons.

"H&M Group cares for all colleagues and joins all those around the world who are calling for peace. Clothes and other necessities are donated by the company. H&M Foundation has also made donations to Save the Children and to UNHCR," the company said in a press statement.

Canada Goose

The luxury retailer is the latest company to respond to Russia's invasion of Ukraine by suspending all wholesale and e-commerce sales to Russia.

On March 2, in a press release the retailer said: "We stand with all of those who are impacted by the violence. We are supporting humanitarian efforts, providing aid to assist with the refugee crisis, and taking further actions to help. We have taken a number of actions in response to the conflict. Through the Canada Goose Response Program, we are donating $100,000 CAD to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) who are leading global humanitarian efforts in the region."

Toyota Motor

The carmaker will suspend auto production in Russia from Friday as it struggles to source parts from overseas, according to Nikkei on March 2. The suspension will include the halting of exports to Russia, car sales will stop when inventories run out.

Honda

The Japanese automaker said on March 2 it has suspended exports of cars and motorcycles to Russia, A spokesperson told Reuters "difficulty in shipping vehicles and making payments was the reason for the suspension."

American Express

The credit card company announced on March 1 that it is halting relationships with Russian bank partners. Yahoo Finance's Brian Sozzi obtained the memo by American Express Chairman and CEO Stephen Squeri to employees detailing its plan to sever ties with Russia.

Apple

Amid mounting pressure on Tech giant Apple (AAPL) to take action against Russia, the company said it has paused all product sales in the country. Apple will also remove Russian-state-controlled networks RT News and Sputnik from stores outside Russia, disable certain Apple maps features in Ukraine and halt exports into Russia's sales channel.

Nike

Nike Inc. (NKE) stopped merchandise purchases on its website and app unavailable in Russia, indicating it cannot guarantee the delivery of goods to customers in the country.

Snap

Snap Inc. (SNAP) has halted all advertising sales to all Russian and Belarusian entities and is complying with sanctions targeting Russian businesses and individuals. The company said it stopped all advertising running in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine.

The social media firm added that Ukraine is the birthplace of Looksery, the company that laid the foundation for Snap’s augmented reality platform, emphasizing it is the home of more than 300 Snap employees.

Goldman Sachs

In a post on LinkedIn, Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO David Solomon said the investment bank will support humanitarian efforts for Ukrainian refugees.

"What is happening in Ukraine right now is tragic, and the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people are an inspiration to the world," he wrote. "Goldman Sachs will continue to take care of our colleagues, support our non-profit partners’ humanitarian efforts, and add our voices to all those calling for peace."

DirectTV

DirecTV has axed the Russian-government-controlled television network RT from its lineup of channels, citing that country’s invasion of Ukraine. A spokesperson said the company, which is majority-owned by AT&T (T), is accelerating this year’s contract expiration timeline and will no longer offer their programming, effective immediately.

Adidas

German sportswear retailer Adidas put a stop to its partnership with the Russian Football Union (RFS), joining a growing number of sports bodies in severing ties to Russian-affiliated teams or companies.

BlackRock

BlackRock (BLK) halted the creation of new shares for its iShares MSCI Russia ETF (ERUS) and has removed all Russian stocks from its creation baskets until further notice, citing the U.S. economic sanctions on Russian corporate and banking entities, closures to Russian securities markets, and Russian government-imposed capital controls, the liquidity of Russian securities and significant declines in its currency.

General Motors

General Motors (GM) said it would temporarily halt vehicle exports to Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine. The Detroit company sells about 3,000 vehicles in Russia and does not have plants based in the country.

"Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine at this time," GM said in a statement. "The loss of life is a tragedy and our overriding concern is for the safety of people in the region."

Harley Davidson

Motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson (HOG) paused its business dealings in Russia.

"In light of the crisis in Ukraine, Harley-Davidson has suspended its business in Russia and all shipments of its bikes to the country," a spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Yahoo Finance. "Our thoughts continue for the safety of the people of Ukraine and those impacted by the crisis."

The Milwaukee-based company saw 31% of its motorcycle sales come from Europe and the Mideast last year but does not break out sales to Russia, per Bloomberg.

Disney

The Walt Disney Company (DIS) suspended movie releases in Russia and said it is working to provide humanitarian relieve to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country. Disney issued the following statement:

“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming Turning Red from Pixar. We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation. In the meantime, given the scale of the emerging refugee crisis, we are working with our NGO partners to provide urgent aid and other humanitarian assistance to refugees.”

Sony

Sony paused the the release of new films in Russia, including its Marvel adaptation "Morbius."

"Given the ongoing military action in Ukraine and the resulting uncertainty and humanitarian crisis unfolding in that region, we will be pausing our planned theatrical releases in Russia," a spokesperson said.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. pulled the plug on the release of "The Batman" in Russia due out Friday.

"In light of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, WarnerMedia is pausing the release of its feature film 'The Batman' in Russia," a spokesperson said. “We will continue to monitor the situation as it evolves. We hope for a swift and peaceful resolution to this tragedy.”

Shell

Shell (SHEL) said it will exit all Russian operations, including its partnership with Russian energy conglomerate Gazprom.

“We are shocked by the loss of life in Ukraine, which we deplore, resulting from a senseless act of military aggression which threatens European security,” CEO Ben van Beurden said in a statement.

Dell

Dell Technologies (DELL) has confirmed to Yahoo Finance that it has suspended product sales in Ukraine and Russia, also providing the following statement:

"Our thoughts are with those families who have lost loved ones and all who are impacted. Our top priority, at this time, is supporting our Ukrainian team members as they attempt to relocate to a safe and secure environment. We are closely monitoring this situation and are working with employees to address their personal or family situations. We have suspended product sales in Ukraine and Russia. We will continue to closely monitor the situation to determine our next steps."

Meta

Facebook parent Meta (FB) has barred ads from Russian state media on its website. The company also said it is in contact with the Ukrainian government and restricted access to several accounts in the country belonging to Russian state media organizations at the request of officials.

"We remain vigilant to emerging trends and stand ready to take additional action to meet the demands of this ongoing conflict," the company said.

Twitter

Twitter (TWTR) temporarily paused advertisements in Ukraine and Russia “to ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don’t detract from it.”

Google

Alphabet Inc.’s Google (GOOG, GOOGL) banned Russia's state-owned media outlet RT and other channels from collecting money for ads on their websites, apps, and YouTube videos.

Delta Air Lines

Delta (DAL) halted its alliance with Russia’s flagship airline Aeroflot. The company withdrew its code from Aeroflot-operated services beyond Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport and Aeroflot’s code from Delta-operated services from Los Angeles and New York-JFK.

Tesla, SpaceX

At the request of Ukraine’s vice prime minister and minister of digital transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk said Starlink, the internet service offered by SpaceX, is active in Ukraine, with “more terminals en route.” A resident of Poland on Twitter also published an email indicating the E.V.-maker has made Superchargers in Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary free to help Ukrainians trying to escape the war. Tesla did not immediately respond to Yahoo Finance’s request for more information.

Fedex, UPS

Transport giants FedEx (FDX) and UPS (UPS) have suspended shipments into Russia.

BP

BP (BP) is divesting its 19.75% stake in Russian controlled oil company Rosneft. The move will come with a hefty $25 billion charge. BP has done business in Russia for three decades.

Intel, AMD

Intel (INTC) and AMD (AMD) have reportedly suspended chip shipments into Russia. A spokesperson for AMD was unable to comment to Yahoo Finance on the report. A spokesperson for Intel didn't immediately return Yahoo Finance's request for comment.

Airbnb

Home rental platform Airbnb (ABNB) vowed to provide free, short-term housing for as many as 100,000 Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country.

Etsy

Etsy (ETSY), the online marketplace focused on handmade or vintage items, said it will cancel all balances — about $4 million worth across listing, transaction, and other fees — owed by sellers in Ukraine on its platform.

HSBC

British bank HSBC (HSBC) is expected to tail off its relationships with a lineup of Russian banks including the second-largest, VTB, according to a report by Reuters, citing an internal memo.

NYSE, Nasdaq

Nasdaq Inc. and the New York Stock Exchange have temporarily suspended trading for Russia-based companies listed on their exchanges.

A version of this article was originally published on Feb. 28, 2022.

Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn.

Alexandra Semenova is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alexandraandnyc

Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn

Advertisement