Russia once again has access to Intel and Microsoft updates, as well as Belarus. Operations were previously halted due to the country's invasion of Ukraine which resulted in sanctions that were imposed on Russia.
Russia Regains Access to Intel Updates
The news came from Russian media, saying that Intel has continued with its business allowing users in Russia and Belarus to install software updates and other downloads. Reports say that operations were suspended around April of 2022, with shipments suspended two months prior.
A spokesperson from Intel continues to claim that it had no recent changes in its operations. Given that they restored access in the latter part of 2022, their statement stands since technically, the changes weren't recent, as mentioned in Tech Radar.
They also clarified that they continue to comply with applicable export regulations and sanctions imposed upon the country. However, this clashes with their responsibility like the company's warranty obligations, like the Intel Download Center and Intel Download Support Assistant.
Russian media has reported that Russian users are already able to access the Intel download portal without spoofing their IP address by January 11th of this year. Although, they have to do so through Yandex or Google, since the main Intel site is still inaccessible.
Driver updates are only available through the automatic download tool, according to Tom's Hardware. Despite its availability, Intel does not allow direct downloads for the drivers without registering and making a profile on Intel's website, which a Russian IP address can't access.
Microsoft Partially Resumes Operations
This was also the case for Microsoft, as they have allowed updates for Windows 11. Downloading the software, however, is a different story. Customers are still not able to download the latest software.
Previous software and operating system downloads were achieved by the Russians through VPN, torrents, and other sources, explaining how some users in the country had access to the Windows 11 software in the first place despite the sanctions.
A Microsoft spokesperson also denied continuing the sales of products and services, claiming that they were complying with the US sanctions, This does not, however, provide answers regarding Microsoft's obligations for a Windows update.
Others Continue to Follow Sanctions
Intel and Microsoft may only be continuing some of their operations due to the company's policies and obligations. Other remain adamant and stay out of Russia. Several car and tech companies still refuse to provide products and services to the country.
For instance, Toyota stopped making cars in Russia until further notice, claiming that there were disruptions in the supply chain. Volkswagen also suspended exports to the Russian market, including operations in Russian production sites, according to CNN.
Amazon's cloud division and Amazon Web Services restricted Russian users from creating new accounts, saying that they had clear terms of service where violence, terrorism, and serious harm are not tolerated. Any customer who participates in that type of behavior will be suspended.
This also goes for big tech companies like Apple, and online sites and streaming services. That includes Meta, Twitter, Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, and Roku. As for finances, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Western Union, PayPal, and Goldman Sachs are still not operational.
