Intel Quietly Resumes Russia Support, Unblocks Software Downloads
upstart writes:
Microsoft has also purportedly resumed Windows 11 Updates, too:
Multiple reports in Russian media assert that Intel, which ceased doing business inside Russia and Belarus due to US sanctions levied due to the Ukraine war, has resumed allowing driver and software downloads inside the country. In the immediate aftermath of the U.S. sanctions, Russian users were previously unable to download Intel software. These reports also indicate that Microsoft has now quietly re-enabled automatic Windows 11 updates for Russian users.
"There have been no recent changes to our operations," an Intel spokesperson told Tom's Hardware -- an important qualifier.
"In February and March 2022, Intel suspended all shipments to customers in Russia and Belarus respectively. In April 2022 Intel announced that it was suspending its business operations in Russia," we were told.
"Intel continues to comply with all applicable export regulations and sanctions in the countries in which it operates. This includes compliance with the sanctions and export controls against Russia and Belarus issued by the US and allied nations. Access to resources that meet driver update needs, such as the Intel Download Center and Intel Download Support Assistant (IDSA), are part of Intel's warranty obligations."
Yet sources close to the matter tell us that Intel did initially block downloads in Russia for the software mentioned in the statement; the company restored access in the latter portion of last year. That justifies Intel's statement that the changes weren't "recent." The Intel Driver and Support Assistant (DSA) downloads are now freely available to Russian users due to Intel's warranty obligations.
The Russian media reports indicate that Intel's initial block on downloads began on February 25, 2022, and it appears to be based on the user's geographic location. As such, both individuals and companies in Russia couldn't access downloads from Intel's official site, so they had to spoof their IP address by using a VPN, use torrents, or find copies of the drivers stored in various forums. According to Russian media, 'experts' contended that Intel's blocks prevented the company from fulfilling its warranty obligations to Russian users.
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