Avast pulls products from Russia, Belarus after Ukraine invasion

Cybersecurity firm Avast said it had withdrawn all its products from Russia and Belarus and suspended all marketing and sales operations in those countries with immediate effect.

The company said it had staff in both Russia and Ukraine and was “actively working to protect and sustain them as a priority”.

Ukraine customers have been offered a free extension on their licenses, while users of Avast “freemium” products are also able to get premium products for free.

“With disinformation rife, supporting Ukrainians' access to a secure, unrestricted internet connection to obtain and share accurate information about the conflict is critically important,” the company said.

Ukraine, Russia and Belarus collectively contributed around 1.5% of Avast's annual revenue in 2021.

Avast is donating more than $800,000 to humanitarian organisations and working with local charities on the ground to address skills-based volunteering opportunities and help Ukrainian groups avoid cyber threats or recover from a cyberattack.