Amazon doesn’t have any direct operations in Ukraine, but as the country suffers under the ongoing invasion by Russia, the tech giant is stepping in to provide support to humanitarian organizations on the ground.
In a blog post Monday, Amazon said it would contribute $5 million to such groups as UNICEF, UNHCR, World Food Program, Red Cross, Polska Akcja Humanitarna, and Save the Children.
“Like many of you around the world, we’re watching what’s happening in Ukraine with horror, concern, and heavy hearts,” the company’s post said.
As it hears from employees who want to help, the company also says it will match up to $5 million in additional donations from workers to those organizations. Customers can also pitch in via Amazon.com, as donation buttons are being added to the homepages of Amazon websites in the U.S., U.K., Poland, and Germany. Amazon is also waiving its fees for payment processing.
Amazon said its support extends to employees in neighboring Poland, who have been given additional time off to take care of themselves and their families. Amazon is also working with Ukrainian nationals to expedite immigration work visas if they’ve relocated.
Amazon often utilizes its global logistics expertise to aid in natural disaster response and relief around the world.
Update, March 28: Amazon announced that Amazon Web Services is committing $15 million in cloud computing credits, and technical expertise, to support the ongoing humanitarian relief effort. AWS’ help includes powering applications that are facilitating the intake of Ukrainian refugees at border crossings, providing technology to help establish safe evacuation routes, setting up emergency internet connectivity, and enabling secure communications.
