The tension between Russia and Ukraine continues at full speed. As the ongoing war passes its first-year mark, no progress has been made towards a ceasefire or peace agreement, leaving both countries negatively impacted. Ukraine is nearly in ruins due to the ongoing conflict, while Russia faces isolation from the rest of the world and numerous global companies, resulting in a severe economic downturn. However, it’s not just countries that are affected by this situation; neutral and multinational corporations are also experiencing significant losses. Ukraine recently accused Xiaomi of being an “International War Sponsor”. Here are the details…

Xiaomi Accused of Being an “International War Sponsor” by Ukraine

Xiaomi has unexpectedly found itself embroiled in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with serious accusations being leveled against the company. National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption of Ukraine (NAZK) announced that Xiaomi was added to the list of “International War Sponsors.” The Ukrainian government cited two primary reasons for this decision.

Authorities claim that Xiaomi has remained active in the Russian market and has been a leading smartphone brand in the country since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine began. While Xiaomi has not conducted marketing campaigns since spring 2022, the company still holds a significant market share in Russia.

Since 2018, Xiaomi has been dominating online sales in Russia, boasting a vast network of official authorized retail stores. Recent NAZK data revealed that Xiaomi’s market share in Russia doubled in 2022, with Q3 deliveries increasing by 39% compared to the previous quarter. In the previous year, Xiaomi’s revenue in Russia reached a staggering $202 million.

The press release from the Ukraine stated that the decision to include Xiaomi in the list of international war sponsors was based on the company’s continued operation in Russia after its “full-scale invasion.” Despite these circumstances, Xiaomi remains the leading smartphone brand in what the Ukrainian government refers to as a “terrorist state.”

Xiaomi has consistently ranked first in sales on Russian online stores since 2018 and maintains a massive offline official authorized retail network throughout the country. In 2022, Xiaomi doubled its market share in Russia, solidifying its position as the nation’s leading smartphone brand. By July 2022, Xiaomi and its sub-brand POCO held a 42% market share in Russian smartphone sales, ranking first in terms of revenue.

Official data shows that, in 2021, Xiaomi’s Russian subsidiary generated $202 million in revenue. The Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau claims that the taxes paid on this significant revenue have been used to support the Russian military and “fund the war against Ukraine.”

Xiaomi is currently actively resuming recruitment for its Russian office and has announced the official launch of its flagship smartphones, indicating the company’s intention to fully restore its operations in Russia. Consequently, the Ukrainian government accuses Xiaomi of sponsoring a terrorist state’s military aggression and believes the company will face the reputational and legal consequences of its actions.

As of now, the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau has included 21 companies in its list of international war sponsors. Xiaomi’s inclusion in this list comes as a shock to many and highlights the far-reaching effects of the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine on the global tech industry.

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(source/source)

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The Xiaomi Mi Play which launched as the first phone powered by MediaTek’s Helio P35 processor is now available outside of China.

The phone was launched in Ukraine yesterday, exactly three months after it was unveiled in China. Xiaomi is asking for UAH 4,699 (~$174) which isn’t a huge difference from its ¥1099 (~$164) price in China.

The Mi Play has a 5.84-inch 1080 x 2280 display with a waterdrop notch and a 19:9 aspect ratio. It has 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage which is expandable via a MicroSD card slot that also doubles as the second SIM slot.

On the rear are dual 12MP + 2MP sensors and a fingerprint scanner, while the selfie camera is an 8MP sensor. There are a bunch of camera modes including portrait mode.

The phone packs a 3,000mAh battery, has dual-SIM support, Bluetooth 4.2, and a MicroUSB port. Don’t forget, this phone doesn’t have an audio jack. It runs MIUI 10 based on Android 9 Pie out of the box. There is no info on when it will be available for purchase.

Xiaomi also launched the Redmi Note 7 in the country too. If you want more processing power, better cameras, and a bigger battery, then the Redmi Note 7 is for you but at a more expensive price than the Mi Play.

The phone which is powered by the Snapdragon 660 processor, has a 6.3-inch FHD+ display with a waterdrop notch covered with Gorilla Glass 5. It is available in three variants – 3GB RAM + 32GB, 4GB RAM + 64GB, and 4GB RAM + 128GB. Its rear cameras are a 48MP + 5MP dual combo while a 13MP camera sits in front for selfies. Its battery capacity is 4,000mAh.

READ MORE: Xiaomi reportedly planning to open 100 Mi stores in Russia this year

The phone will sell for UAH 5,499 (~$204) for the base model, UAH 5,999 (~$223) for the 4GB + 64GB version, and UAH 6,999 (~$260) for the 4GB RAM + 128GB version. Xiaomi Ukraine says it is running a flash sale today at 1500 hrs (local time) where lucky buyers will be able to purchase the 4GB RAM + 64GB version for UAH 5,555 (~$206).

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When the Mi 8 Lite was released last month, Xiaomi‘s spokesman confirmed it would get a global release. The global launch starts this week and Europe is the first port of call.

Xiaomi’s spokesman, Donovan Sung, has revealed in a tweet that the Mi 8 Lite will be launching first in Ukraine. The launch will take place on Wednesday, October 17 in the capital city of Kiev at 1900 hrs local time.

We're launching our latest flagship #Mi8Lite across our global markets soon, launching first in Ukraine on Wednesday. Excited to fly to Kiev tomorrow to meet our Mi Fans! #Xiaomi #launch #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/bhpgtqebHi

— Donovan Sung (@donovansung) October 15, 2018

The Xiaomi Mi 8 Lite has a 6.26-inch 1080 x 2280 screen with a 19:9 aspect ratio. It is powered by a Snapdragon 660 processor with 4GB/6GB of RAM and 64GB/128GB of storage.

Just like the other phones in the  Mi 8 series, it has dual rear cameras although its primary camera is a 12MP sensor and there is a 5MP camera depth sensor. The front-facing camera which resides within the notch is a 24MP sensor.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi 6S Geekbench listing reveals Android 9 Pie, SD835 and 6 GB RAM

The Mi 8 Lite doesn’t have the IR face unlock of the Mi 8 and Mi 8 Pro or the 3D face unlock of the Mi 8 Explorer Edition. However, it does come with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner. It has a 3350mAh battery with support for Quick Charge 3.0 and runs Android 8.1 Oreo out of the box.

The Mi 8 Lite is also expected to launch in Taiwan soon.

(Source)

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