Spotify shuts shop in Russia owing to media censorship law

• The Kremlin is cracking down on media outlets that throw the Russian war in a negative light

Spotify announced that it would be pulling out of Russia due to the new law that suspends media coverage of the Ukraine war.

The music streaming service wrote in a statement, “Spotify has continued to believe that it's critically important to try and keep our service operational in Russia to provide trusted, independent news and information in the region.

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“Unfortunately, recently enacted legislation further restricting access to information, eliminating free expression, and criminalizing certain types of news puts the safety of Spotify's employees and possibly even our listeners at risk.”

Russia’s media law provides for up to 15 years in prison for journalists who disrespect the Russian military and/or file stories the Russian government considers false.

Spotify had already stopped offering Premium subscriptions in Russia, but its free service was still available. The music streaming platform said that it would close an office in the country and removed content from Russia's RT and Sputnik media outlets in March.

The company expects its Russian services to be fully suspended by early April.

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Inputs from Spotify and The Hill