When russia's criminal state invaded Ukraine in February, IBM was among a long list of companies that suspended operations in russia. The corporation, on the other hand, has not stopped paying its staff. IBM's management believed that people did not deserve to suffer because of sanctions against the russian government.
However, IBM has told employees it is ending all work in the country and has begun laying off staff.
This decision was due, not least, to public pressure. Following our publications on the inadmissibility of IBM's work in russia, there were several calls from the Kyiv office of IBM to the Secretary of the Economic Security Council of Ukraine. We have received another confirmation: public opinion matters. It is so powerful that it can persuade giant corporations, who are used to being directed exclusively by numbers and profits, to make moral decisions.
By the way, the decision to leave the market of the aggressor country and freeze business in russia cost IBM a $300 million loss in revenues in Q1 2022. However, the company easily overcame it, ending the quarter with profits of $622 million.
Meanwhile, russia has caused more than $600 billion in damage to Ukraine. The lives of the Ukrainians we lost in the war are priceless.
There are no excuses for cooperation with russia in any form.