Linux creator dismisses programmers linked to Russia
American-Finnish software engineer Linus Torvalds has pointed to his background and sanctions linked to Ukraine as the rationale for terminating developers. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux operating system, has confirmed that several maintainers were dismissed due to their connections to Russia. He clarified that as a native of Finland, he feels a particular bias against the country, especially in light of sanctions imposed on Moscow.
An internal email sent last week instructed the delisting of certain individuals from the maintainers list, identifying nine out of 11 names as Russian, with most associated with Russian email addresses.
These individuals were responsible for overseeing Linux drivers that ensure compatibility with hardware from various vendors, including Acer, as reported by The Register.
The email specified that removals were necessary "due to various compliance requirements," although it offered hope that maintainers could "come back in the future if sufficient documentation is provided."
Participants in the mailing list raised concerns, challenging the legitimacy of the decision and arguing it hadn't been adequately reviewed.
On Wednesday, Torvalds, who also holds U.S. citizenship, responded in the same thread, asserting that the complaints originated from "Russian trolls." He stated, “It's entirely clear why the change was done, it's not getting reverted.”
“If you haven't heard of Russian sanctions yet, you should try to read the news someday,” he continued, emphasizing, “I'm Finnish. Did you think I'd be supporting Russian aggression?”
Following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, the U.S., EU, and their allies enacted extensive sanctions against Russia, which included prohibiting Western firms from conducting business with Russian companies, prompting many to withdraw from the market.
Linux, the open-source operating system created by Torvalds in 1991, is one of the most widely used platforms globally, with Android being one of its most prominent derivatives.
Commentators have noted that the dismissals stemmed not purely from nationality but from the sanctions facing the maintainers' employers in Russia. Reports suggest that several Russian maintainers still contribute to Linux, albeit from outside the country.
Historically, Finland was part of the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1917. Despite the early recognition from the Soviet Union, the Winter War of 1939 ultimately led Finland to align with the Axis Powers during WWII, a conflict remembered in Finland as the Continuation War. The defeat, alongside Germany, resulted in territorial losses.
While Finland maintained neutrality throughout the Cold War and beyond, relations with Moscow soured significantly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, culminating in Finland abandoning its neutrality to join NATO in 2023.
In a recent statement, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen urged other NATO members to grant Ukraine permission to utilize donated weapons to target locations deep inside Russian territory.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
An internal email sent last week instructed the delisting of certain individuals from the maintainers list, identifying nine out of 11 names as Russian, with most associated with Russian email addresses.
These individuals were responsible for overseeing Linux drivers that ensure compatibility with hardware from various vendors, including Acer, as reported by The Register.
The email specified that removals were necessary "due to various compliance requirements," although it offered hope that maintainers could "come back in the future if sufficient documentation is provided."
Participants in the mailing list raised concerns, challenging the legitimacy of the decision and arguing it hadn't been adequately reviewed.
On Wednesday, Torvalds, who also holds U.S. citizenship, responded in the same thread, asserting that the complaints originated from "Russian trolls." He stated, “It's entirely clear why the change was done, it's not getting reverted.”
“If you haven't heard of Russian sanctions yet, you should try to read the news someday,” he continued, emphasizing, “I'm Finnish. Did you think I'd be supporting Russian aggression?”
Following the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, the U.S., EU, and their allies enacted extensive sanctions against Russia, which included prohibiting Western firms from conducting business with Russian companies, prompting many to withdraw from the market.
Linux, the open-source operating system created by Torvalds in 1991, is one of the most widely used platforms globally, with Android being one of its most prominent derivatives.
Commentators have noted that the dismissals stemmed not purely from nationality but from the sanctions facing the maintainers' employers in Russia. Reports suggest that several Russian maintainers still contribute to Linux, albeit from outside the country.
Historically, Finland was part of the Russian Empire from 1809 to 1917. Despite the early recognition from the Soviet Union, the Winter War of 1939 ultimately led Finland to align with the Axis Powers during WWII, a conflict remembered in Finland as the Continuation War. The defeat, alongside Germany, resulted in territorial losses.
While Finland maintained neutrality throughout the Cold War and beyond, relations with Moscow soured significantly after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, culminating in Finland abandoning its neutrality to join NATO in 2023.
In a recent statement, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen urged other NATO members to grant Ukraine permission to utilize donated weapons to target locations deep inside Russian territory.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
