Google has decided to close its engineering offices in Russia in response to the country's recent crackdown on the Internet.
The move follows the creation of new laws in Russia that limit the activities of Internet companies in the country, with some requiring them to keep all data about Russia inside the country's borders, according to The Independent.
Google has had to remove close to 250 links from its search engine in six months in 2013 because of these rules. Companies may look at this as a reason for them to take their business elsewhere as well.
Russia is not the only country that is placing harsh restrictions on Internet use, Business Insider reported. The European Parliament voted to break up Google last month in the member states on the belief that the search giant screws up the market with its business.
Google has already decided not to operate in China due to state censorship in the country, and the company recently announced the closing of Google News in Spain because of a new law that requires newspapers to charge Google News to show their stories.
Other countries where Google has moved its engineers include Finland, Norway and Sweden, and offices were even removed in Austin, Texas, and Atlanta in the U.S., The Independent reported.
While the move from Russia is bad news for Google, the company is expected to continue investing in the country.
"We are deeply committed to our Russian users and customers and we have a dedicated team in Russia working to support them," a Google spokesperson said.
