RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Tech giant Cisco not only quit doing business in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine last year. Now Russian media agency Tass is reporting that the company destroyed more than $20 million of equipment and spare parts that remained in the country.
One news site described the move as a “scorched earth” policy.
Several news sites have translated the report from Tass.
An attempt by WRAL TechWire to read the document via Google Translate was not successful.
Gagagadget via Slashdot reports:
“Cisco Systems announced it would cease sales in the Russian market in March 2022. Three months later, the company refused to renew its licenses. In addition, at the same time, the American manufacturer announced its withdrawal from Russia and Belarus.
“As it became known, Cisco Systems decided to physically destroy spare parts, product demonstrations, equipment and even furniture. The value of the destroyed stock is estimated at [$23.42 million]. The company has also disposed of fixed assets worth [$12,600]. By the end of 2022, Cisco Systems had reduced its workforce by a factor of 12 to five employees. The company terminated contracts with the rest in mid-2022, paying them a total of [$2.4 million].”
Fudzilla published a similar report, complete with an image of French soldiers retreating from Moscow in 1812.
Cisco operates one of its largest corporate campuses in Research Triangle Park.
The company said it would depart Russia as well as Belarus in June of last year.
Cisco has yet to comment on the latest news out of Russia.
