Spotify has announced its exit from Russia, citing a new rule that threatens jail time for propagating “false news” about the country’s military.

The music streaming service said it decided to halt its free service due to fears about the safety of its employees and “perhaps even our fans.”

In March, Spotify closed its office in Russia.

However, it stated that it wished to keep its service active in order to offer the country with “independent news.”

Spotify said in a statement that it “has continued to feel that it is essential necessary to strive to keep our service functioning in Russia in order to deliver credible, independent news and information from the region.”

“Unfortunately, newly implemented laws restricting access to information, prohibiting free expression, and criminalizing some forms of news puts Spotify’s workers’ safety, as well as the safety of our listeners, in jeopardy.”

The publication of anything judged to be “fake news” concerning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may result in severe prison terms under new laws governing what media organizations can broadcast or post online.

Following the bill’s passing, Bloomberg, the New York Times, and CNN were among the news organizations that declared plans to stop reporting from the nation earlier this month.

Following its launch, TikTok also disabled live streaming and fresh material on its platform.

Spotify is well known for its music streaming network, which began in Russia in 2020. However, as part of its economic strategy, it has aggressively gone into podcasting, with a large library of news and current affairs broadcasts.

It has been unable to sell its premium memberships in Ukraine since the conflict began due to payment provider limitations imposed as a result of international sanctions.

BP, McDonald’s, and Netflix are among the hundreds of major companies that have abandoned or reduced their activities in the country as a result of this new action.