Rishi Sunak wife's Infosys IT firm pulls out of Russia

UK minister had been under pressure to reveal if his family were profiting from Russian money

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has been unnerved by criticism of his wife Akshata Murthy. AFP

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The Indian tech company part-owned by the wife of Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is closing its Moscow office, after coming under pressure since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Infosys is trying to find replacement roles for its staff there, the BBC reported.

Its continued presence in Russia had been a source of embarrassment for Mr Sunak whose wife Akshata Murthy owns a stake worth about $1 billion in the IT company.

The group was co-founded by Indian billionaire Narayana Murthy, Ms Murphy's father, and has a market value of $100bn.

Infosys sought to play down its business ties in Russia last week and said it had committed $1 million towards relief efforts for victims of the war.

"Infosys has a small team of employees based out of Russia that services some of our global clients locally," it said.

"We do not have any active business relationships with local Russian enterprises."

The leader of the UK's opposition Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer had earlier told Sky News that Mr Sunak should reveal if his family were profiting from money made in Russia while Moscow is under severe UK government sanctions.

Infosys' change of tune will ease the pressure on Mr Sunak to provide an answer.

The chancellor has not sought to hide his discomfort at the allegations, telling a BBC podcast this week he found criticism of his wife "very upsetting".

However, he player down the situation by referring to the Will Smith-Chris Rock Oscars furore: "At least I didn't get up and slap anybody, which is good."