The major chip makers in the computer industry, Intel and AMD, have announced that they are halting their shipments to Russia and Belarus until further notice. This is, of course, a response to the Russian attack on Ukraine, as well as a response to the economic sanctions imposed by the US administration so far. These sanctions, it should be noted, do not require a complete halt to sales – so both Intel and AMD have chosen to tighten the rules on their own initiative.
The boycott includes all Intel and AMD products, including processors, graphics cards, motherboards and complex computers. Apart from the consumer sector and the Russian technology industry, the boycott is also expected to disrupt the proper functioning of various infrastructure providers in Russia to some extent, and may even follow various military ventures.
In its press release, Intel states that it condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the war, including the people of Ukraine and neighboring countries.” Intel also notes that they view the company’s volunteers in countries such as Romania and Poland in a positive light in order to help refugees fleeing the battle zones.
Earlier this week, many companies in the technology industry announced various restrictions for users in Russia. Apple also chose to halt sales of its products in the country, while Electronic Arts removed the Russian sports teams from the FIFA series games.