Dating app Tinder to stop operating in Russia a year after the invasion of Ukraine

Tinder and Hinge will stop operating in Russia according to the owner of the dating apps. It comes more than a year after the invasion of Ukraine began.

Match Group, which owns the dating apps, said it was taking steps to “restrict access” to its services and would completely withdraw from the Russian market by June 30. The company, based in the US, made the announcement as part of its annual report on Tuesday, May 2 and said that it was “committed to protecting human rights”.

The move is the latest in a series from global companies who have cut ties with the country following the Russian invasion in February 2022. In the weeks after the invasion by Vladimir Putin, many businesses announced that they would be suspending their operations or in some cases completely withdrawing from the country.

Companies such as McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Starbucks faced increased pressure from their consumers before announcing they were withdrawing their businesses from the country. Match Group, who also own dating site Plenty of Fish, has previously made comments about its Russian operations.

The company flagged the negative impacts on its European business in March last year, according to new agency Reuters. Match Group, which employs over 2,700 staff worldwide has also claimed that the dating app Tinder is the world’s “most popular app for meeting new people.”