MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. Microsoft may not restrict access to its cloud products in Russia on the night of March 20-21, representatives of the Russian company Softline reported following a business call with Microsoft representatives.

"At the moment there is no exact information, but there is a cautious assumption that the shutdown will not happen on the night of March 21, 2024," Softline says.

Softline explains this by unresolved questions, which concern ways of access restriction.

In addition, there are still "open questions regarding the list of products and services."

Earlier, Softline specialists received a list of 50 products that will be "banned." Microsoft is still reviewing this list, the Russian IT company says. It includes many business and development applications were previously named. Microsoft can block access to programs for business process management, products for corporate accounting, automation, business analysis, project and IT management, collaboration, service monitoring, employee applications, and enterprise resource planning.

The corporation originally intended to suspend access to its cloud products, as well as data, in Russia from March 20. Later, Andrey Blagorazumov, vice president of the Russian Softline group of companies, told TASS that Microsoft could postpone the suspension until the end of this month - this will give time to set up an alternative infrastructure.

Microsoft does not plan to disable individual products. The corporation said the restrictions were related to the 12th package of EU sanctions against Russia dated December 19, 2023. In particular, the supply of software for business analytics and other products to Russia is limited.