Microsoft Sued By Nayara Energy Over Cutting Services’ Access Amid EU-Russia Sanctions

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Nayara Energy, one of India’s largest refiners with ties to Russian oil leader Rosneft, is facing serious disruptions after its Microsoft accounts were reportedly frozen last Tuesday. The move is linked to EU sanctions aimed at curbing Russia’s influence amid ongoing aggression in Ukraine.

Sources have told Reuters that when Microsoft halted IT services, Nayara’s refinery workers lost access to essential tools like Outlook and Teams. Without these tools, internal communication broke down, leaving operations in disarray. As communication channels went dark, coordination became nearly impossible, affecting the overall productivity of the refinery.

In response to this abrupt interruption, Nayara Energy has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft in the Delhi High Court. The company says that the move as a critical setback, especially at a time when smooth operations are crucial. Insiders suggest that Microsoft’s decision may stem from Nayara’s connection to Russia, as the EU has been clamping down on firms with such ties.

Well, Nayara has switched to Rediff.com for cloud-based email hosting. While this temporary solution helps restore some form of internal communication, it lacks several features of Microsoft’s services such as access to historical emails and comprehensive cloud storage.

The ongoing issues may force Nayara to cut back on its refinery capacity, with potential impacts on output, revenue, and overall profit margins in the near future. Stakeholders remain alert as the legal battle and operational challenges continue to unfold.

Rishaj Upadhyay

News Editor

Rishaj is a tech writer who has been writing professionally for over four years, with a passion for Android, Windows, and all things tech. He initially joined Windows Report as a tech journalist and is now taking over as a news editor. When he’s not breaking the keyboard, you can find him cooking, or listening to music/podcasts.

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