In yet another move directed at sanctioning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, American tech giant Microsoft has announced it will stop selling products and services in Russia. This will likely include Xbox, Windows, and Azure, but appears limited to new sales.Among the many reactions to the invasion, Microsoft's move might be one of the most impactful, considering the widespread adoption of its products and services across the whole of Russia. With the invasion having entered its second week, Russian society is being cut off from much of the world economy, although to what extent those sanctions will impact Putin's decision-making is yet to be seen.Microsoft president Brad Smith has announced its move in an official blog post this morning. After having condemned the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Smith declared the blocking of sales of Microsoft products and services in Russia. This announcement most likely includes not only Windows-related products, but also Xbox and Azure ones. This comes after a Ukrainian government official asked for PlayStation and Xbox to cut off Russian access.
Together with the recent move by Apple, which blocked its sales in Russia as well, the result may be quite frustrating for much of the Russian people. In the blog post, Microsoft's president also pledged to continue helping Ukrainian cybersecurity in these dire times.
The consequences of the invasion for Russians is nothing compared to what Ukraine is suffering, but should not be outright downplayed. Along with relatively minor moves, such as the many sanctions coming from game companies, sanctions by tech giants such as Microsoft can have a huge impact on the economy of Russia, affecting businesses and ordinary people alike.
The biggest question is if and how those sanctions will affect the Russian government's decision-making in the short term; they could either lead to mass protests or, inversely, strengthening of the regime's support and condemning of western interference. What is sure is that as long as the Ukrainian people are suffering, the war will have serious and unpredictable consequences even for Russians; the more the fighting goes on, the worse it will be for both nations.