Ukrainian roots, Utah ties: How one company is handling challenges of Russian invasion

The Utah State Capitol lights up in blue and yellow to support Ukraine on Feb. 28. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created some unimaginable and unique challenges for a technology consulting company founded in Ukraine that services clients throughout the world, including several in Utah.

The Utah State Capitol lights up in blue and yellow to support Ukraine on Feb. 28. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created some unimaginable and unique challenges for a technology consulting company founded in Ukraine that services clients throughout the world, including several in Utah. (Mengshin Lin, Deseret News)


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SALT LAKE CITY — Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created some unimaginable and unique challenges for a technology consulting company founded in Ukraine that services clients throughout the world, including several in Utah.

"In those first days of the war, everyone was just focused on ensuring the safety of the 11,000 people that work for SoftServe in Ukraine," said Chris Baker, CEO of SoftServe.

SoftServe is a global company that does digital engineering services for companies in the U.S. and beyond, writing code for their clients. Part of their national and worldwide reach includes 18 companies in Utah, including KSL.com, that rely on SoftServe and its 800 employees who are working directly for Utah clients for daily software operations.

Baker said that while SoftServe is a global company, it has a "density in Ukraine." Since the war in Ukraine began, SoftServe has had to make changes to their business dealings as well as personnel — especially with 11,000 employees based in Ukraine.

"When Russia invaded this sovereign country and started this war, it was a huge change," Baker said. "When the war happened ... safety was the most important thing."

In response, SoftServe has rolled out emergency teams that have been facilitating daily check-ins with employees as well as providing assistance to employees who are actively relocating by securing buses and apartments for them, along with mental counseling for those who want it.

In an effort to stabilize the safety of its employees, SoftServe has moved "a couple thousand" people from Eastern Ukraine to Western Ukraine.


The stories that I always hear is how hard it is to say goodbye. Russia's war has made it very, very difficult on millions and millions of people. Our employees are just a few of those.

–Chris Baker, SoftServe


This relocation effort is far from easy, Baker said. Especially when considering the "tight-knit families" that are abundant throughout Ukrainian culture.

"The idea of relocating with your parents and your grandparents and your children, that's a big effort," Baker said. "That's what's heartbreaking. When you see families having to make those decisions to either stay because they can't move ... or split, which of course feels horrible, or to (have) everybody move, which is incredibly hard."

Under current Ukrainian law, males between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country. This law has led to Baker — who was able to leave Ukraine before the war started — hearing heartbreaking stories of families separating in the interest of safety.

"The stories that I always hear is how hard it is to say goodbye," Baker said. "Russia's war has made it very, very difficult on millions and millions of people. Our employees are just a few of those."

Baker noted that employee safety was the company's primary concern after the war began, but he also talked about how SoftServe is working to keep both the U.S. and Ukrainian economies strong.

Beyond just delivering software to clients, something SoftServe is still doing, it paid its taxes early to the Ukrainian government to the tune of 24 million hryvnias, which translates to just under $800,000.

"We paid that ahead of time to keep the government strong, to keep the economy strong," Baker said, noting that tech outsourcing services are one of the best exports coming from Ukraine.

After getting as many Ukraine-based employees as safe and situated as possible, Baker said SoftServe has returned to operating at about 80% of its normal levels and that its operating level is "increasing every day."

"The good news is (that) the majority of people are out of harm's way," he said.

At the end of the day, though, Baker said he's been inspired by the spirit of Ukrainians and the defense they're continuing to mount in the midst of the Russian invasion as well as the support SoftServe has received from clients with Ukrainian ties.

"They've all seen the Ukrainians with their incredibly strong spirit and energy. ... But that's also enabling so many of the people in SoftServe to do both. They're still working with the clients and defending their country, all at the same time to make sure that the economy stays strong while they defend the country," Baker said.

Baker said that he hopes that this war will shed a light on the importance of democracy and that it will eventually prevail.

"There's not much of a silver lining in this war right now, but hopefully it really will unite everybody to keep democratic countries democratic."

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Logan Stefanich is a reporter with KSL.com, covering southern Utah communities, education, business and tech news.

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