LG halts all shipments to Russia

LG is joining other tech heavyweights in halting Russian sales following that country's invasion of Ukraine. The company said in a statement it was "suspending" all product shipments to Russia. The firm didn't say how long this would last, but noted it would keep a "close watch" on the situation. LG is "deeply concerned" about everyone's welfare and "committed" to humanitarian relief, according to the notice.

It's not clear just what prompted the timing of the decision, which comes weeks after the late February invasion. There's a lot of pressure to act, however. Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and others have already frozen shipments and sales in Russia — LG wasn't going to look good if it continued to serve the Russian market despite that country's war against Ukraine.

This move could be particularly damaging. While LG has left the phone industry, it's still a major force in electronics that makes everything from TVs through to air conditioners and refrigerators. Between LG's move and Samsung's, Russia will have lost two of the largest device brands on the planet. Russians are likely to still have options thanks to brands from China and elsewhere, but their choices will be considerably narrower.