On February 24, 2022, Russian president Vladimir Putin mobilized his military to invade Russia’s neighboring country Ukraine. Tensions had been building between the two nations for a long time now, and this served as the turning point in the relationship of the two countries. What followed could be the worst series of economic sanctions to Russia in recent memory.
Many western countries have placed hard sanctions on Russia, banning imports and exports of products, and effectively crippling its economy so as to render the country unable to fund its ongoing invasion. The private sector, in particular, key automotive industry giants, have announced the withdrawal and suspension of operations in the country. Even in the world of sports, events are being canceled left and right, as well as athletes and teams stripped of their privilege to participate in sports. Particularly, the FIM has canceled all events in Russia, and suspended the racing license of Russian and Belarusian racers.
While harsh sanctions followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, several companies, on the other hand, have dedicated resources towards providing aid to Ukraine. Honda, for instance, recently pledged one million Euros to be allocated towards relief operations in Ukraine through the Japanese Red Cross. Next in line is fellow Japanese manufacturer Yamaha, who has pledged a $700,000 donation in humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Yamaha issued a statement to the media wherein it offered its deepest sympathies to the people and families in Ukraine affected by the ongoing conflict. It hopes that the donation will go a long way in providing much-needed relief to affected families in the country.
Yamaha will be making the donation through Japan Platform, a non-profit organization which focuses on international emergency humanitarian aid concerns. The organization offers immediate aid all over the world in response to global developments such as wars, natural disasters, and events which cause an increase in the number of refugees. Meanwhile, in the MotoGP, several racers including Yamaha’s own Franco Morbidelli, displayed messages of support towards Ukraine on their helmets and motorcycles.
