Apple, Ford, other big US brands join corporate wave shunning Russia

Apple Inc AAPL.O late on Tuesday (March 1) said it had stopped sales of iPhones and other products in Russia, adding that it was making changes to its Maps app to protect civilians in Ukraine.

Tech firms including Alphabet Inc's GOOGL.O Google dropped Russian state publishers from their news, and Ford Motor F.N - with three joint venture factories in Russia - told its Russian manufacturing partner it was suspending operations in the country. Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc HOG.N suspended shipments of its bikes.

Exxon Mobil Corp XOM.N said would discontinue operations in Russia and be taking steps to exit the Sakhalin-1 venture, following in the steps of British energy giants Shell Plc SHEL.L and BP BP.L, Russia's biggest foreign investor.