With Russia’s attack on Ukraine, various things have been affected economically and geopolitically.
While we do not discuss anything about the war here, the victims of war need support to survive. Many organizations and individuals have come forward to join humanitarian causes to support the Ukrainian people.
Even the Zorin OS creators announced to donate all their recent profits to help the cause.
To show support and take a stand against the war, many companies have cut their ties with Russia.
Of course, halting business operations may not be the best idea for the citizens of Russia, referring to the article by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. But, to support the humanitarian efforts, several major companies have stopped their services in Russia.
To join them, Linux and Open-Source companies like Red Hat, SUSE, Docker, and Microsoft have also announced to move away from Russia for its operations (until the war resolves).
Red Hat, SUSE, and Docker Stop Direct Sales in Russia
For starters, any direct ability to purchase a service via Russia from Red Hat, SUSE, and Docker has been severed.
SUSE in its statement (by Melissa Di Donato, CEO of SUSE) mentioned:
SUSE remains committed to supporting humanitarian efforts to help refugees and victims of war rebuild their lives. It’s a desperately challenging time for our employees who have family members in Ukraine so we’re doing everything we can to support them. All employees and their households have access to SUSEAssist, our employee support programme.
Red Hat also came forward with their president (Paul Cormier) announcing the stand against the war while also mentioning the challenges with the decision.
Considering there are many Red Hat associates in Russia, Red Hat will continue to provide support and resources to associates from both countries to make sure that their livelihood is not affected.
Docker also responded to the invasion of Ukraine with its decision of stopping all business with Russian companies during this time.
In the press statement, Scott Johnston (CEO of Docker) mentioned the following:
Docker stands with the members in our Ukrainian community and the sovereign nation of Ukraine. As the situation continues to evolve, we want to provide an update on Docker’s response. We will not do business with Russian companies during this period. As such, we have removed the ability to purchase Docker subscriptions from Russia and Belarus. We are continuing to monitor the situation and will keep you informed with updates from Docker.
Microsoft also joined them to announce that they will offer protection to Ukraine from Cyberattacks by Russia. You can learn more about it on their official announcement.
The Fight Against War
Everyone wants the war to be resolved and peace to be restored. However, we can only show our support for the victims of war in the form of humanitarian aid or donations.
It is good that Linux and open-source companies have joined the effort.
We can’t be sure about the future business decisions by the companies above and how they will affect the citizens. Hopefully, it gets better with time, and people get the help they need.
What are your thoughts about Red Hat, SUSE, Docker, and others halting business in Russia? Let me know in the comments below.
Here's why you should opt for It's FOSS Plus Membership
- Even the biggest players in the Linux world don't care about desktop Linux users. We do.
- We don't put content behind paywall. Your support keeps it open for everyone. Think of it like 'pay it forward'.
- Don't like ads? With the Plus membership, you get an ad-free reading experience.
- When millions of AI-generated content is being published daily, you read and learn from real human Linux users.
- It costs just $2 a month, less than the cost of your favorite burger.
