Why Linux Removed Over Ten Russian Kernel Maintainers Amid Sanctions

Linux founder Linus Torvalds confirmed on Wednesday that the kernel project cleared more than ten maintainers with Russian affiliations last week.

On October 18, kernel developer Greg Kroah‑Hartman posted to the Linux kernel mailing list that entries in the MAINTAINERS file had been removed.

He wrote, “According to various compliance requirements, some entries were deleted. If sufficient documentation is provided, they can be reinstated in the future.”

Mailing‑list participants asked for clarification, noting that the removed names appeared to be Russian and most used .ru email addresses. Russia is currently under U.S. sanctions following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The removed maintainers oversaw drivers that enable interoperability with hardware from vendors such as Acer and Cirrus Logic.

Torvalds responded in his characteristic style, calling the move a “counter‑strike against Russia.”

Torvalds said, “The reason for this change is clear and it will not be reversed. Using multiple random anonymous accounts to ‘solve’ this issue will not change anything.”

He warned that “various compliance requirements” are not limited to the United States and urged readers unfamiliar with sanctions against Russia to consult the news, emphasizing that the deleted drivers’ code will remain in the kernel.

The Linux Foundation, a U.S.‑based nonprofit, has not responded to requests for comment.