Spotify closes Russia office "indefinitely" following Ukraine invasion

Although Spotify hasn't restricted its service in Russia, the streaming platform has shuttered its Russia office "indefinitely" in response to Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Variety reports that Spotify has also removed content from Russia's RT and Sputnik outlets, which are backed by the Kremlin.

A Spotify representative told Variety, "We think it’s critically important to try to keep our service operational in Russia to allow for the global flow of information."

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by the unprovoked attack on Ukraine," the representative added. "Our first priority over the past week has been the safety of our employees and to ensure that Spotify continues to serve as an important source of global and regional news at a time when access to information is more important than ever."

As well as removing Kremlin-backed content and closing its Russia office, Spotify is reportedly matching employee donations "two-to-one" to support Ukraine during the invasion.