Netflix says it will refuse to stream Russian state programs, defying regulations

• Netflix's presence in Russia requires it host 20 Russian state TV channels.
• The streaming giant said it has no plans to follow that regulation due to Russian's invasion of Ukraine.

Netflix said it plans to defy a Russian regulation that requires the streaming giant host Russian state programming, joining a growing list of media companies to hit back against Russia in response to its invasion of Ukraine.

The company, which in December registered as a streaming service in Russia, is required to stream 20 Russian state channels ranging from entertainment-focused shows to programming by the Russian Orthodox Church, the Moscow Times previously reported. The regulation applies to streaming services with more than 100,000 subscribers.

"Given the current situation, we have no plans to add these channels to our service," a Netflix spokesperson told Insider.

Netflix's presence in Russia is small — it has just under 1 million subscribers in Russia, out of its 222 million globally, The Wall Street Journal reports.

But the streaming giant is looking to grow its subscriber base around the world following slowing growth in the last year that lagged behind Wall Street's expectations. According to The Wall Street Journal, the streaming service has been aggressively pushing to make bigger expansions in the country. Last year, it announced its first-ever Russian original drama called "Anna K," based on the Russian classic novel "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy.

Russia's media watchdog hasn't publicly responded to Netflix's latest statements, but the streaming giant's public defiance of the country's regulation could threaten its presence there.

Other media companies this week have taken action against Russia as a response to the conflict in Ukraine.

Disney, Warner Bros, and Sony are pausing theatrical releases in Russia. Additionally, Russia's state media outlets Russia Today and Sputnik are facing their greatest restrictions ever as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok shut social media access to them.