Meetings “between airstrike alarms”

Hi, this is Ivan Levingston in London. Ukraine’s tech workers are still shipping code even as Russia’s invasion intensifies. But first... To [View in browser]( [Bloomberg]( Hi, this is Ivan Levingston in London. Ukraine’s tech workers are still shipping code even as Russia’s invasion intensifies. But first... Today’s top tech news: - Take-Two Interactive faces a class-action lawsuit over the sale of [loot boxes]( to minors - NFT mania is cooling: Daily [sales are down 83%](, NonFungible data shows - Apple is dropping its [mask mandate]( Working, at war Ukraine plays an important role in the global tech supply chain, with roughly 250,000 technologists cranking out products and code for global companies. Now, many of those workers have fled the country or have decamped to Ukraine’s subway stations and bomb shelters. And some are still working, joining meetings “between airstrike alarms,” said Andrew Pavliv, chief executive officer of N-iX, one of the largest technology companies in Ukraine. This week, an N-iX director who was evacuating Kyiv by car ran out of fuel, “but still joined the call with our U.S. customer,” Pavliv wrote in an email. N-iX’s staff believes that continuing to function during the war is “critical for supporting the Ukrainian IT industry and our economy,” Pavliv said. Companies operating in Ukraine [have stressed the need]( to keep paying salaries and paying taxes as Russia’s attack drags on.  This week my colleagues and I wrote about the [outsized role Ukrainian developers]( have come to play in the global tech ecosystem. The country is popular as an outsourcing destination because of its lower cost of labor and highly educated workforce. That means major disruptions there will have ripple effects in industries as varied as gaming, grammar software and transportation. But some Ukrainian businesses have managed to remain largely online, even as they scramble to get employees out of the cities that are under attack. Ukraine-based outsourcing firm Intellias works with some of the biggest companies in the world and has about 2,000 engineers locally. Intellias said it’s operating on business continuity plans, and trying to relocate its vulnerable workers with as little disruption to clients as possible. German travel search startup Omio, which has 15% of its engineering workforce in Ukraine, is now seeking to move people away from the fighting. And Grammarly Inc., a [$13 billion startup]( founded in Ukraine and which has staff there, said it’s working on contingency efforts for its workers’ safety. The company also made its software available for free to English-language media outlets in Ukraine, an effort to help outlets reporting facts on the ground. N-iX has managed to send two buses to the border this week, and is trying to transport more people. Because men of fighting age are not allowed to leave Ukraine, N-iX’s Pavliv said the company is trying to get its female employees to Poland — as well as the families of the men. Sometimes, logistics and coordination is the most companies can do. Distributed Lab founder Pavel Kravchenko said that his blockchain startup is working to help its team members in Kharkiv, which has been hit with heavy Russian fire. [Speaking to Bloomberg TV]( from Ukraine, Kravchenko said the company’s international clients have been supportive, donating money to Ukrainians in need. But he acknowledged that there are limits to how much it’s possible to help from afar: “Not everything you can buy with money,” Kravchenko said. “That’s the truth that comes when you are in war, the money doesn’t save you.” —[Ivan Levingston](mailto:TK@bloomberg.net) with Emily Chang and Priya Anand If you read one thing Twitch has lost touch with gamers, the group that has been the company’s north star, current and former employees [tell Bloomberg](. The result, they say, is an employee exodus. The Amazon unit lost 300 people last year and at least six top employees since the beginning of 2022, including the chief operating officer, chief content officer and head of creator development. What else you need to know Ukraine scrapped a plan to reward people who donated to its armed forces with newly created [crypto assets](. Corporate action continues: Google suspended [advertising in Russia](. Airbnb is [suspending its Russian operations](. And the U.K. has asked Facebook, Twitter and TikTok to [ban the Russian news channel RT](. As omicron fades, Twitter will start reopening its corporate offices [on March 15](. 5G was supposed to [change the world](. What to watch: See the [full interview]( with Bloomberg’s Emily Chang and Distributed Lab’s Pavel Kravchenko, calling in from a shelter in Ukraine. Follow Us More from Bloomberg Dig gadgets or video games? [Sign up for Power On]( to get Apple scoops, consumer tech news and more in your inbox on Sundays. [Sign up for Game On]( to go deep inside the video game business, delivered on Fridays. Why not try both? Like Fully Charged? | [Get unlimited access to Bloomberg.com](, where you'll find trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters. You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Fully Charged newsletter. 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