Ukraine tech employees plead for tougher sanctions on Russia: 'We do not have days or weeks to wait'
The tech employees seek an "embargo on oil," a halt on buying Russian oil and gas, and banning the use of Apple's entire App Store in Russia
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Tech employees in Ukraine are pleading for tougher sanctions on Russia, saying lives are being lost by the minute.
"Force your governments and senators to act more severely," a JustAnswer employee, who wished to remain anonymous for safety, told FOX Business. "We do not have days or weeks to wait as they talk."
JustAnswer, an online question-and-answer service, has more than 200 employees who are now spread throughout Ukraine. The Ukraine-based employees told FOX Business that the situation is growing worse with "more and more victims among civilians."
Additionally, some small towns in the southeast part of the country, occupied by Russians, "are on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe" as they go without food, water, gas and medical support.
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"People are dying nonstop every single minute here," a JustAnswer employee said, as the largest land war in Europe since World War II continues to erupt around them. "We are losing lives."
Ukrainian servicemen walk near a downed aircraft in Kyiv, Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2022. (Associated Press / AP Newsroom)
During his State of the Union speech Tuesday, President Biden announced that the U.S. was banning Russian flights from its airspace in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine. The day before his speech, the administration announced it was immediately blocking financial transactions of Russian central bank assets, which would effectively freeze any of those assets held by Americans.
Wide range of sanctions
Both moves top off a wide range of sanctions the U.S., Europe and other nations have imposed on Russia, specifically targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, other members of Russia's security council, Russian banks, financial institutions and elites. These sanctions caused the value of Russia's currency, the ruble, to plunge, and were expected to hammer its economy.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USO | UNITED STATES OIL FUND - USD ACC | 74.25 | +1.05 | +1.43% |
However, the JustAnswer employee called for additional measures to be taken, including an "embargo on oil," a halt on buying Russian oil and gas, and banning the use of Apple's entire App Store in Russia.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAPL | APPLE INC. | 229.87 | +1.35 | +0.59% |
A Polish border guard assists refugees from Ukraine as they arrive to Poland at the Korczowa border crossing, Poland, Feb. 26, 2022. (Associated Press / AP Newsroom)
They also pleaded for the NATO member countries to "close the sky" to prevent Russian forces from bombing the country and to remove Russia from the U.N. Security Council.
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"All we need is the world's support," the employee said.
Grateful for support
Similarly, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter that "today, more than ever, it is important for us to feel that we are not alone."
Another Ukraine-based JustAnswer employee, who also wished to remain anonymous, told FOX Business Ukrainians were "grateful to our colleagues from the United States and other countries who support us by going to rallies and expressing their position on the war in Ukraine."
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In the U.S., thousands of protesters marched to the White House over the weekend to demand that the U.S. take additional steps to help Ukraine following last week's Russian invasion.
Ukraine needs help "to fight the most aggressive country in the world," one of the Ukrainian-American protesters said.
Fox News' Lisa Bennatan and the Associated Press contributed to this report.