Namecheap Domain Registrar Bans Russian Users Following Ukraine Invasion

Domain registrar Namecheap has announced that due to Russia's war crimes it will stop providing services to all users registered in the country.

A notice sent to domain owners gives them five days to transfer their sites to another registrar before they resolve to a 403 error page.

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Dear,


Unfortunately, due to the Russian regime's war crimes and human rights violations in Ukraine, we will no longer be providing services to users registered in Russia. While we sympathize that this war may not affect your own views or opinion on the matter, the fact is, your authoritarian government is committing human rights abuses and engaging in war crimes so this is a policy decision we have made and will stand by.

If you hold any top-level domains with us, we ask that you transfer them to another provider by March 6, 2022.

Additionally, and with immediate effect, you will no longer be able to use Namecheap Hosting, EasyWP, and Private Email with a domain provided by another registrar in zones .ru, .xn--p1ai (рф), .by, .xn--90ais (бел), and .su. All websites will resolve to 403 Forbidden, however, you can contact us to assist you with your transfer to another provider.

Customer Support, Namecheap
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Namecheap CEO Richard Kirkendall also issued the following statement on HackerNews...

"We haven't blocked the domains, we are asking people to move. There are plenty of other choices out there when it comes to infrastructure services so this isn't "deplatforming". I sympathize with people that are not pro regime but ultimately even those tax dollars they may generate go to the regime. We have people on the ground in Ukraine being bombarded now non stop. I cannot with good conscience continue to support the Russian regime in any way, shape or form. People that are getting angry need to point that at the cause, their own government. If more grace time is necessary for some to move, we will provide it. Free speech is one thing but this decision is more about a government that is committing war crimes against innocent people that we want nothing to do with."

As expected, many Russian users are upset about the ban, noting the dire consequences for them if they object to Putin's actions. Questioned about domains that are helping people detained and/or arrested for participating in anti-war protests, Kirkendall said exceptions will be made.

A revised notice has now been sent to customers with an extended deadline of March 22.

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