Putin said he wanted to suffocate the firms after a Russian business leader complained that Microsoft and Zoom were eating into the local market.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said U.S. tech companies like Microsoft and Zoom should be “strangled” and “throttled” in his country, arguing that Russia should build domestic competitors instead. During a meeting with Russian company leaders to evaluate certain sectors and the domestic economy,

He was responding to a gripe from a Russian IT provider about competition from Microsoft and Zoom Russian President Vladimir Putin said foreign tech providers still operating in Russia should be "strangled" as the country develops domestic alternatives.