I would like to state upfront that there is no bias in this article, I am simply taking it for its news value, as Xiaomi has also issued an official statement in response to the accusations against them. Do the same!
The Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Agency has named the Chinese technology brand Xiaomi as an "international sponsor of the war" according to the press release of 13 April.
The company is known not only for its smartphones, but also for its tablets, laptops, wearables, TVs, rooters and other smart home devices. According to the National Anti-Corruption Agency, Xiaomi has been designated an "international sponsor of the war" for continuing to do business in Russia after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"While the Russians bombed peaceful Ukrainian cities, Xiaomi managed to increase shipments to the Russian Federation by 39% in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the previous quarter," the press release reads.
The company is now the leader in smartphone sales in Russia, which means that the Russian market is a very lucrative one for the Chinese company. According to the National Anti-Corruption Agency, Xiaomi has not conducted any marketing campaigns in Moscow since spring 2022. However, Xiaomi is now "actively recruiting for its offices in Russia" and has "announced the official start of sales of its flagship smartphones", leading the government agency to believe that Xiaomi is once again active in the Russian market.
"Xiaomi Corporation is supporting the military aggression of a terrorist state and must take responsibility for the reputation and legal consequences of its actions," the National Anti-Corruption Agency said.
According to the press release, the government agency has already designated 21 companies as "international sponsors of the war".
Xiaomi has issued a statement
Xiaomi is a consumer electronics company, offering products exclusively for civil and commercial use. We believe that every consumer in the world has the right to access communications and information on the Internet. Our consumer businesses operate in over 100 countries and regions, and we comply with all laws and regulations in every jurisdiction where we operate.
We strongly oppose the accusation by the Ukrainian National Agency for Corruption Prevention (NACP) that we are "international sponsors of war". We do not support any act of war. We fully accept world peace. Our mission is to make life better for everyone in the world through innovative technologies.
