Universal Music Suspends All Operations in Russia

Universal Music Group has suspended all its operations in Russia and will close its offices there in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The move comes as companies around the world find ways to impose both monetary and cultural sanctions on Russia as a consequence of its military actions.

Universal is far from the only entertainment group to take such a stance. As reported by the Wall Street Journal, anonymous sources at both Sony and Warner implied that those companies are also considering suspending or dispensing with their Russian operations.

A range of other companies in the music and entertainment industry have also chosen to boycott the Russian market. Concert promoter Live Nation Entertainment Inc., and ticketing service Ticketmaster, will no longer put on shows or do business in Russia. Other media companies like Netflix have blocked all its services in Russia, while TikTok stripped back the parts of its platform that are available in the country. Meanwhile, Spotify has opted to close their Russian offices, but will leave their service running in Russia, citing a need to "allow for the global flow of information."

"Effective immediately, we are suspending all operations in Russia and closing our offices there," Universal Music Group wrote in a statement.

"We urge an end to the violence in Ukraine as soon as possible. We are adhering to international sanctions and, along with our employees and artists, have been working with groups from a range of countries to support humanitarian relief efforts to bring urgent aid to refugees in the region."