Starting from March 20, 2024, American tech giants Microsoft and Amazon will be cutting off access to their cloud products for Russian companies. This decision was confirmed by Russian company Softline, which received notifications, and a source in the IT market who spoke with RBC.
The move comes in response to new sanctions imposed by the European Union on December 19, 2023. The twelfth sanctions package includes restrictions on the supply of various software to Russia. As a result, Microsoft and Amazon will be blocking access to products like Power Bi, Dynamics CRM, and other cloud solutions that utilize these programs. As of March 20, users in Russia will be unable to use these products or access any information stored within them.
Elena Volotovskaya, Vice President of Softline Investments, shared a letter from Microsoft citing the new EU economic sanctions. The letter states that Microsoft is prohibited from providing certain types of software, including cloud solutions, to Russian organizations.
Reports have also surfaced about the current use of Microsoft products in Russia’s commercial sector. Despite assurances from Microsoft that access would be maintained, the implementation of new sanctions will result in services being cut off. This situation underscores the growing tension between tech companies and government regulations in the midst of international relations and economic sanctions.