Sony shuts down PlayStation Store operations in Russia as war escalates

Sony will no longer be selling games in Russia on its PlayStation Store. The company has announced that it is suspending all software and hardware shipments in the country, and will not be launching Grand Turismo 7 in the region.

This development is the latest in a series of business withdrawals that have followed Russian's invasion of Ukraine that began on February 24th.

It will also donate $2 million to charity to support refugees from the war. The money will go to groups like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Save the Children to support victims of Russia's assault.

Sony is a late-arriver to the "stopping Russian operations" trend. Companies like CD Projekt, Epic Games, and Electronic Arts have been pulling out of the country over the last week. All of this happened in the days after Ukraine deputy prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov called on technology companies to withdraw from Russian markets. 

Sony Interactive Entertainment added that it "joins the global community in calling for peace in Ukraine."

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has continued to have consequences that spread beyond the bounds of Eastern Europe. But while disruptions to business and gas prices continue to abound, the death toll in Ukraine continues to rise.