Nokia is leaving Russia

Network supplier Nokia is leaving Russia. The company has announced that. The move has implications for the company’s 2,000 employees in Russia. Nokia was already winding down its activities in the country.

Russia accounted for 2 percent of Nokia’s sales, says the company. In a explanation to AFP A spokesperson said the move will affect the company’s 2,000 employees, 200 of whom work in R&D. If they can continue their jobs outside of Russia, Nokia will offer to do so.

Nokia was already winding down its activities after Russia invaded Ukraine. Competitor Ericsson has already done so. This makes Russian networks dependent on network suppliers from China, a country that does want to do business with Russia.

Nokia says it will try to keep networks up and running for humanitarian reasons, as long as it can do so in accordance with sanctions. That should ensure that Russians continue to have access to the internet via the network equipment that Nokia has supplied.