The International Business Machines Corporation, or IBM, said on Tuesday that it has begun laying off its entire Russian staff, after the company’s decision to halt operations in the country.
After Moscow invaded Ukraine on February 24, the IT business stated on March 7 that it will cease operations in Russia.
“This process [layoff] will commence today and result in the separation of our local workforce,” said IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna. “Our colleagues in Russia have, through no fault of their own, endured months of stress and uncertainty. We recognize that this news is difficult, and I want to assure them that IBM will continue to stand by them.”
According to Krishna, IBM has prioritized the safety and security of its employees and their families in war-torn areas
“We chose to suspend operations so that we could evaluate longer-term options while continuing to pay and provide for our employees in Russia,” Krishna said. “As the consequences of the war continue to mount and uncertainty about its long-term ramifications grows, we have now made the decision to carry out an orderly wind-down of IBM’s business in Russia.”
The invasion of Ukraine has been defined by Russian President Vladimir Putin as a “special military operation” intended at driving out “neo-Nazis” in Kyiv. Ukraine and its Western supporters, on the other hand, claim that this is a spurious excuse for a war of choice.
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