Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine is expected to disrupt the dating life of its residents. Tinder has officially announced its exit from Russia, one year into the Ukraine crisis. Match Group, the owner of the famous dating app, announced on Monday that it will leave Russia by June 30, citing the need to preserve human rights.
“We are committed to protecting human rights,” the organization stated in its annual impact report, which was released on Monday.
Match Group to withdraw from Russian Market by June 30
Match Group, whose brands include dating apps like Hinge and PlentyOfFish in addition to Tinder, announced that its brands were taking steps to “restrict access” to services and would withdraw completely from the Russian market by June 30.
“Our brands are taking steps to restrict access to their services in Russia and will complete their withdrawal from the Russian market by June 30, 2023,” said the Tinder owner.
Friends Fiduciary Corp, a shareholder in Match Group, told Reuters that the company has strong reasons to leave Russia.
“It’s not a good look for a trusted brand to be continuing operations in a nation where the head of state has been indicted by the International Criminal Court,” it said.
ICC Arrest Warrant for Putin Cited as Reason for Match Group’s Exit
The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin on March 17. The international organization accused Russia’s president of war crimes in connection with the illegal deportation of hundreds of Ukrainian children. Moscow denies the charges, claiming that it has committed no war crimes and that the ICC warrant and decision are useless because the country isn’t even a member of the forum.
Match, the shareholder added, has set an example for others to follow by connecting its choice to the human rights threats faced by the Ukrainian people. Bumble, Tinder’s competitor, restricted downloads in Russia in March of last year (2022).
Many brands have left Russia since the war began. Several Western firms announced the suspension of their operations, and many withdrew entirely, in the weeks following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offensive. Others, such as McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, and Heineken, were compelled to terminate ties due to consumer pressure, according to the Guardian.
According to Reuters, numerous internet service providers, including Spotify and Netflix, which had a modest number of employees in Russia, withdrew shortly after Moscow commenced its military operation in February 2022.
