Global business on hold
SOUTH African film producer Anant Singh and his company, Videovision Entertainment, have joined a growing number of businesses worldwide imposing sanctions on Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
Singh said the attack and resulting humanitarian crisis were reprehensible, and he would no longer licence content to Russia.
“The tragic events unfolding in Ukraine seem impossible in this day and age,” he said.
Calling for Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine, Singh said he admired the Russian creative community and had worked with some of the country’s best, including actor and filmmaker, Nikita Mikhalkov.
“During my formative years as a film-maker, my work was supported by Russia. My anti-apartheid and anti-war film, The Stick, was banned in South Africa, but we were invited to participate in the Moscow Film Festival in 1989,” Singh said.
Known for his works such as Sarafina! and Cry, the Beloved Country, Singh said that freedom and democracy were delayed in South Africa as many turned a blind eye to apartheid.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to those who acted against the apartheid regime and spoke out. We cannot allow peaceful nations and its people to be conquered.”
Meanwhile, Netflix said it had paused all future Russian projects and acquisitions, and would assess Russia’s ongoing invasion. The streaming giant said it would not carry Russian state channels on the service.
Netflix has joined the likes of cloud computing company Oracle which has also taken action against Russia.
Oracle confirmed it had made the decision on behalf of its 150 000 employees around the world and in support of Ukraine’s people and elected government.
Apple has halted the sale of its products in Russia. The iPhone maker said it would continue to evaluate the situation and was in communication with relevant governments.
The App Store has also blocked downloads of RT News and Sputnik News from outside Russia, while Apple Maps’ traffic updates in Ukraine were paused as a safety precaution.
Google and Twitter also restricted access to its services.
Google Maps has temporarily disabled live traffic data in Ukraine. The search engine giant confirmed its decision
to remove features from global access, to protect Ukrainians after consulting with the country’s regional authorities.
Russian movie lovers eager to see The Batman will be disappointed after Warner Bros Pictures said it would not be released in Russia at this time. The decision comes after Disney became the first major studio to halt its releases in Russia.
Online holiday accommodation booking service, Airbnb, said it would offer free short-term housing for up to 100 000 refugees fleeing Ukraine.
The company has sent a letter to European leaders in countries such as Germany, Poland and Hungary to offer its support.
Airbnb said it would fund the temporary accommodation as well as the hosts and donors of its refugee fund.
Meanwhile video game giant, EA Sports, has removed all Russian football teams from Fifa 22.
EA tweeted: “In line with our partners at Fifa and Uefa, EA Sports has initiated processes to remove the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from EA Sports Fifa products including Fifa 22, Fifa Mobile, and Fifa Online.
“EA Sports stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and like so many voices across the world of football, calls for peace and an end to the invasion of Ukraine.”
The decision came after Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister, begged all game development companies and esports pwlatforms to cease business with Russia.