MOSCOW, March 11. /TASS/. The Walt Disney Company will suspend all its operations in Russia, including production and licensing of content, due to the events in Ukraine, the company’s press secretary said in a statement posted on the official website.

"Given the unrelenting assault on Ukraine and the escalating humanitarian crisis, we are taking steps to pause all other businesses in Russia," the company said. "This includes content and product licensing, Disney Cruise Line activities, National Geographic magazine and tours, local content productions and linear channels."

At the same time, the company said that some of those activities cannot be halted immediately. For example, suspension of "linear channels and some content and product licensing will take time given contractual complexities."

On March 1, The Walt Disney Company announced the halt of all future theatrical film releases in Russia.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, but aims to demilitarize and denazify the country. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure, therefore there are no threats to the civilian population. Subsequently, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and some other countries announced sanctions against Russian companies and individuals.