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Netflix Suspends Service in Russia

Netflix has been available in Russia since 2016, and has just under 1 million subscribers there.

 & Chloe Albanesius Executive Editor, News

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Netflix today said it will no longer offer service in Russia due to the country's invasion of Ukraine.

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

Current Russian subscribers—who number just under 1 million, according to CNBC—will no longer have access to the video-streaming service after their current billing cycles conclude.

Netflix has been available in Russia since 2016, when the service announced a global expansion into 130 new countries at CES 2016. But Russian-language content was limited until 2020, when Netflix teamed with National Media Group (NMG) on a localized version of the site, Broadband TV News reported at the time.

Last summer, Netflix announced the start of filming for its first Russian drama series Anna K, and it has several other Russian series in the works. But earlier this week, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Netflix halted all future projects in the country, Variety reported. Last month, it also refused to comply with a Russian law that would have required Netflix to carry propaganda programming, according to Deadline.

Netflix is just the latest tech company to pull out of the Russian market, and it comes after Visa and Mastercard said they would stop processing payments in the country.

About Our Expert

Chloe Albanesius

Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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