Other music companies, including Spotify, YouTube and TikTok, have taken similar actions to protest the Ukraine invasion.
in the country became tougher after credit card companies Visa, Mastercard and American Express said this weekend that they were ceasing operations in Russia as well.
A spokesperson for Universal would not say how many employees the company has in Russia, nor whether they will be terminated or furloughed. UMG said it was “adhering to international sanctions and, along with our employees and artists, have been working with groups from a range of countries to support humanitarian relief efforts to bring urgent aid to refugees in the region.”
The label’s Russian subsidiary, based in Moscow, has been operating in the country since the mid-1990s. Industry sources at other music companies say announcements will likely be made this week about their operations in Russia as well.