[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

12 hours ago, smsultan143 said:

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.

Exactly but where is the love? All Russians are being hated and cancelled now. I would understand if only those who supports the war were cancelled, I don't share their views too but this isn't the case. Look at us, desperate Russian citizens who dedicated to Fiverr so much time and work (I've been here since 2016) are now get no love. There is not a single person here who supports the war but did anyone even ask our opinion? No, we were excluded from this community based on our geolocation. It's like: "You are from Russia, we don't want to have a business with you". And how does it help Ukraine? How does it help to stop the war? In my opinion it only generates more hatred and nothing else. So I agree with this statement but humanity is so far from it, that's why we have what we have.

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

I'm just going to leave it here

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

2 hours ago, donnovan86 said:

Hopefully this war ends soon and it will all be well behind us. As for Fiverr's decision... UpWork did it first, so one of the major names in the industry already retracted from Russia, Fiverr just followed suit.

Yeah, it's true but some other companies did it in a very respective way to thier contributors. For example, let's take only online platforms - Youtube, they paused all monetization from videos in Russia but the Russian content creators are not banned or suspended, they keep posting videos and create content and if the videos are shown outside of the Russia, those videos are monetized as usual (as far as I know). Another very popular online streaming platform - Twitch. Not a single Russian twitch streamer was banned or suspended, instead they temporarily disabled the earnings withdrawal but you can still subscribe to Russian channels and watch thier streams during these days.

 

So not all companies treated this situation the same way. Most of them respect their long-time partners and found the respectful solution. At least I'm thankful to Fiverr that they let me finish active orders and withdraw the earnings. But as you know, now there is zero sellers and buyers from Russia. Sadly all Russian citizens had been wiped out from online presents on Fiverr 🙁 And I can only wish that the war stops as soon as possible and everything goes back to normal, that is the most important thing, indeed.

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

There is one simple truth that I wish people from all over the world would understand - Putin is not Russia 

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

7 minutes ago, gajuseidi said:

Let me offer you some perspective. 115 children have been killed, 140 have been injured since the start of the invasion. Overall, 636 civilians have been killed, 1125 have been injured and over 3 million have fled their country as of 15th of March according to Kyiv Independent. These are only the recorded numbers, the real number is bound to be higher. Fiverr amongst other businesses took a stand and made a decision to not contribute to those numbers. It doesn't matter how much you pay in taxes, the fact that you do is enough.

I understand your point. I don't know enough about tax laws in Russia so I cannot comment on the percentage of taxes a freelancer has to pay in your country, but what I do know is that everyone has to pay taxes. If you avoid paying taxes, that doesn't mean that every Russian freelancer does the same. Your personal decision to avoid paying taxes is not an excuse for Fiverr to continue indirectly contributing to Russia's invasion of a sovereign country and slaughtering its people.

Fiverr doesn't, you do. And you pay taxes from the income Fiverr provides.

Alright man, I hope you'll never get in the situation in which you will lose the income and means to provide for your family just because you are located in the country which government's actions makes everyone in the world cancel you, without even asking your own opinion or providing any other option. Since this nightmare started I can hardly sleep, I know exactly what's happening in Urkaine and I wish I could leave this country because I don't want to be on that side but I can't, I don't have means to do it, the boarders are closed, the income has been cut. And if anyone here is happy that all Russians, including those who oppose the government's decision deserve to lose the ability to put food on the table and now on the verge of being totally broke, I just have nothing to say to you other than I pray that it will never happen to you.

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

27 minutes ago, gajuseidi said:

Every ruble you pay in taxes is directly financing Putin's army and his invasion of Ukraine.

Honestly, paying taxes from the money earned by working on online platforms is volunteering here in Russia. The government have not established the way to regulate that yet and make it unavoidable. Now, if we lose the income from online platforms for a long time, we have to find the regular job that will absolutely pay the taxes taken from paychecks. I guess you can make the further conclusions on your own. 

 

Companies like McDonalds and Coca-Cola suspend thier business in Russia because they have physical presents here and they pay taxes to government. I don't think that Fiverr pay taxes to Russian Federation government by providing us platform to work.

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

19 minutes ago, bradmitzelfelt said:

With this logic, everyone should be banned from Fiverr since all countries commit war crimes. This logic is stupid. Most Russians don't agree with what's going on, but they still have to live and make a living somehow. Fiverr's virtue signaling is hurting people, not helping the situation.

Some people, like myself, were working with artists who had completed part of projects and now can't finish our projects because we were submitting them in parts. I have two out of 8 art pages for my book and I am not going to start over with another artist just because my artist, who is very good and hates the war, is in Russia.

Yeah, it is sad. I had a client who sent 3 songs he wanted to work on with me (my repeat customer) and I was going to send him an offer but now my account is limited, we can't communicate anymore and I feel bad leaving him hanging like that. He had plans.. Now he just lost me out of nowhere.

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

6 minutes ago, maksim_nikulin said:

I do not believe you! You are Russian and you want to help the side which Russia wars against, don't you? As minimum it seems like you do not have feelings of self-preservation...

Please stop making fast decisions. This is the war. And it is real. People are dying on the both sides. Your ideas are not the same as to go to the peaceful meeting.

My ideas are to stop suffering in the whole world, for each and every country. I will never support the war and I will stand by this point everywhere I go. So that people from all over the world know that there are Russians who stands for peace and humanity. Including Fiverr, that I still believe exists to unite and help creative people.

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

39 minutes ago, donnovan86 said:

Anyway I am not into politics but clearly sanctions are the only thing one can do right now. I am sad to see people getting affected by this, but hopefully it will lead to a way to stop this war once and for all. The faster it stops, the faster people will get their Russian Fiverr account back, they even said it themselves. 

Believe me, millions of Russians, including me want this war to be over like right now and we are suffering for what is going with our neighbours. Cutting off the income only worsen the situation and actually makes Putin happy because he builds this whole West vs Russia story, telling us citizens: "Look at what they're doing to you", etc. The idea of donating part of the income to Ukrainians during this mad times is actually serves both the good cause to help people and the fact there are much more Russians who are against this war.

[Appeal to Micha Kaufman (From Russian Seller)]

Dear Mr. Kaufman,

 

My name is Ivan and I'm a mixing and mastering engineer, I've been offering my services on Fiverr since 2016. Almost 2000 completed orders and many repeat customers that have been working with me for years. 

I'm against the war, I don't support our president and I wish that madness to end as fast as possible. My heart is broken for Ukrainian people, what russian troops are doing in there is horrible and have no excuses. 

 

There are many of those who oppose the awful decisions our government makes, we are getting repressed for that, some of us are in jail already. And now all of these sanctions are targeted to ruin Russia's economic which will downgrade the quality of our lives. As far as I understand, Fiverr's mission is to unite creative people from all around the world and manifest the new philosophy - we are people of the world and we are here to help each other, make each other stronger, happier and wealthier. 

 

Your decision to suspend Fiverr's services in Russian Federation will only harm those who have been loyal to your company. Let us help to stop the war, let us donate to help Ukrainians. I would really be happy to continue working on your platform and keep in touch with all of my customers who didn't turn on me just because I live in Russian Federation and they perfectly know this fact.

 

Kind regards

Ivan

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

4 minutes ago, hogake said:

I would like to ask all those Russians who suddenly became against the war, for whom did you vote for the last 20 years, or at least on the latest amendments? Or did you not even go to the polls?

Ok, you're clearly have no idea what's going in Russia and Belarus. The rulers of the countries are tyrants and dictators, who doesn't give a single crap about its people. If you ask me personally, I was and am against Putin and war he's leading now. All elections results are fake and the opposition here is being repressed. Do you know russian activist Navalny and his organization? Please google Navalny and see where he is now. The country is democratic only formally but really it is not. We've been suffering from this regime for a very long period of time, all alternative mass media is blocked and journalists are leaving country. There is a law, that if you speak about war and court decides that it is a fake, then you're going to jail for 15 years. All russians are depressed, many people go out in the street to protest just to be locked in the jail. And in the midst of all that and tragedy in the Ukraine, russians here on Fiverr are getting canceled without chance to earn and try to find some ways to stop this madness. Honestly, I would leave this country for good but you need a great amount of money to do that, now we're losing this chance and are trapped in here.

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

On 3/11/2022 at 11:58 AM, bringer said:

I would like to say that though I understand. I absolutely HATE, that my close friends in Russia who OPPOSE the war and have themselves been persecuted for not supporting it are now being victimized even more.

I am An American Citizen and Patriot who has served his country, but I am  HUMAN BEING who puts Innocent people in priority to Governments. I feel sorry for and support fully Ukraine fighting for their survival. I want an end to this violence immediately.  But, please understand that I have close friends in Russia and all over the world who are excellent people who feel the exact same way. Some who have even risked their lives attempting to depart from Russia with their families. Thousands of Russians Jailed by their own country for being opposed to the war. VICTIMIZED and having their rights stripped from them. Beaten in jails.. Some missing. And now, Fiverr will victimize my brothers yet again.There are many many soldiers who were and are still opposed to the war who are afraid of what will happen to them and their families as much as Ukrainians are. 
 

And now, because of Russia's Government. An entity that the Innocent and good Russian People have NO CONTROL OVER. They are being Victimized again... by Fiverr.

A better solution would be for Fiverr to donate funds to Ukraine to show support and at the same time BE LOYAL TO YOUR RUSSIAN CUSTOMERS who have been Loyal to Fiverr. Do you not Understand that Fiverr is not just a buy and sell marketplace anymore?

It has actually been a platform that provides international interactions between members, that has promoted communication and friendships across countries and continents. It has provided a vessel for people from all walks of life to get to know one another.

 

and now... you want to take that away?

This is no different that Putin cutting off the Russian Citizen's access to the world... isolating good people from their friends and family abroad.

Is this what you you stand for?

And when this is over...

Is this how you want to be remembered.... 

Fiverr currently can act as an ambassador for good will and keep lines of communication open.

Amen to that. Thank you for being so supportive and I absolutely agree with each statement. Fiverr, give me the option to donate from my sales to a good cause and help Ukrainians, I will do that because I want to stop this madness and I've been a loyal seller since 2016, how could you discredit me that easily? I have a Ukrainian flag in the background on my profile picture. Let us be the voice of opposition to Putin's regime, don't ban us just because we are Russians.

[Fiverr Suspends Business in Russia]

Here goes my last chance to provide for my family. Now I don't know what to do.. I never supported Putin, I always wanted to leave this country but never had means to do it, now I'm about to lose the means to put food on the table. I'm not sure how this helps the situation in Ukraine.. By me being poor and leaving my ongoing clients without my services that they've been using for years?