Graphic design service Canva is leaving Russia entirely.
Graphic design service Canva announced that it will block access to Canva in Russia for the foreseeable future and will completely withdraw from the country.
This is stated in the statement. company June 1th.
“We firmly support Ukraine, we support peace and freedom.
Like billions of people around the world, we are shocked to see war crimes continue and thousands of innocent lives lost as Russia continues its illegal war in Ukraine. As we stated in early March, we strongly oppose the Russian government's ongoing acts of aggression and are committed to upholding peace and security everywhere. Therefore, we are blocking access to Canva in Russia for the foreseeable future.
As this unjust war approaches its 100th day, I wanted to provide more context regarding this decision and the work we've been doing since February to support Ukraine," said co-founder Cliff Obrecht.
Canva adds that when they first learned of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, they focused on providing immediate aid and support to those affected—including their team and their families, their Ukrainian colleagues, and the millions of people forced to flee their homes.
Canva also opened access to templates to help cover war events.
The company said they were actively used in Russia, but "with the Russian government's continued tight control over protests and activism, we understand that the situation has changed, and our response must change with it."
While there was room for voices and protests in the early stages of the war, the Russian government has now shut down the vast majority of communication channels, making it impossible to express dissent. Those who still find workarounds or speak out in opposition to the government now face horrific charges and prison terms for speaking out.
Since the beginning of the war, we've consulted and worked with those most affected: from those fleeing the conflict on the ground to digital rights organizations and our Ukrainian and Russian team members. Most recently, during a conversation with the Ukrainian government to better understand the ongoing developments in the war, the diminishing impact of our platform on Russia became apparent. Our goal has always been to effectively support Ukraine and respond in a way that helps it end the war, which is why we are fully withdrawing from Russia today," the company added.
"We firmly believe that everyone, everywhere, should have the unequivocal right to peace and security. We stand with Ukraine and will always stand up for what we believe is right," Canva concluded.
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