Massive tech conference in Barcelona drops Russian pavilion

By Alyssa McMurtry

OVIEDO, Spain (AA) - The organizer of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the world’s biggest mobile show, announced on Friday that they were dropping the Russian pavilion in the wake of Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine.

The organizer, GSMA, released a statement condemning Russian aggression and promising to follow all government sanctions and policies resulting from the situation.

“In light of this emerging situation and considering the tragic loss of life, MWC seems immaterial under the circumstances,” said the statement.

This year’s edition of MWC is set to begin in Barcelona on Monday and run until Thursday.

Organizers also said they will be continuously reviewing and adjusting the security for the event.

The tech conference expects to host 1,800 exhibitors, including powerhouses like Amazon Web Services, Nvidia and Samsung. Attendees are expected to come from 183 countries.