Tech companies set to relocate their workers in Ukraine

Located in the industrial core of Ukraine, the city of Kharviv has become popular among thriving tech companies that outsource and employs local and engineering expertise. Amazon, Lyft, and Snap have all hired engineers from Ukraine in recent years. The city is only 30 miles away from the Russian border and a target for Russian troops. Both the city and citizens are on the verge of a potential frontline.  Tech companies with workers in this possible hotspot are seeking more ways to help or evacuate their workers.

Google, Snapchat, and Oracle all have office locations in Ukraine, while Revult, a British financial technology business, has ties to the country as one of its founders is Ukrainian.

The possibility of more violent threats from Russia has prompted Cimpress, a Nasdaq-listed company, to offer to move its 500 Ukrainian employees outside of the country, or to a safer location in Ukraine's west.

 Also, Israeli website builder, Wix has promised its 1,000 local employees and their families temporary relocation to Turkey, while several other tech companies, including Ukrainian outsourcing giant Ciklum and San Francisco-based startup AppsFlyer, are planning to relocate Ukrainian employees to safety.

“We are ready to help our employees if they want to relocate somewhere right now,” says Maksym Liashko, co-CEO of the Cyprus-based online gambling company Parimatch which has around 1,000 employees in Ukraine. Only a handful of Parimatch’s Ukrainian staff have chosen to relocate outside the country but the company had plans to keep workers online wherever they are, says Liashko.

Tech companies joined in the move to evacuate their workers in hotspot Ukranian cities after the United States and other European nations removed their offices from Kyviv, following the incidence and urged their nationals to leave Ukraine immediately. Numerous foreign airlines, including KLM, have also suspended flights to Ukraine.

Tensions between Western nations and Russia remain high, with the White House saying on Wednesday that the Kremlin had sent an additional 7,000 troops to the Ukrainian border, despite the Kremlin's claims that some personnel had been withdrawn. A cyberattack was also launched on Ukrainian banks and defense ministry on Tuesday. The attacks were suspected to have been launched from Russia.

Fiverr, an Israeli freelancing marketplace listed on the New York Stock Exchange, said it plans to relocate Kyiv-based employees and was assisting those who remained in the country. A Fiverr spokesman said the company is  in close contact with its local team in Kyiv, and also any local residents in Ukraine, and have preparations in place to ensure we can offer support if the situation escalates.”