Since Russia launched an immoral and illegal invasion of Ukraine last month, the message around the globe has been clear… this attack is wrong. Consequences have been far reaching for Russia, including crippling economic sanctions against the country. Dozens of major Western companies – Microsoft among them – have stopped selling products/operations in Russia.
A report from CNN suggests Russia is considering hitting back against those companies and may nationalize them or seize their assets. That means giant brands like Microsoft, Apple, Google, IBM, McDonald's Coca-Cola, Ikea, Shell, BP and many more who have taken action against Russia.
CNN cites a video that was published by the Kremlin and broadcast on state media in Russia:
“We need to act decisively with those [companies] who are going to close their production,” said Putin. “It is necessary, then … to introduce external management and then transfer these enterprises to those who want to work.”
Hitting Back
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin says the necessary legislation is already ready:
“If foreign owners close the company unreasonably, then in such cases the government proposes to introduce external administration. Depending on the decision of the owner, it will determine the future fate of the enterprise,” adds the Prime Minister.
The White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, says that taking action in this way against Western companies will make the situation worse for Russia. In a series of tweets, Psaki points out harming companies would highlight that Russia is no longer a country that is open for business. She says those companies may also seek legal action against Russia.
Tip of the day: Windows sometimes refuses to delete certain folders or files. In our tutorial we show you how to take action in such a case and still erase the affected files from your hard drive.
