SYDNEY: Atlassian Corp Plc, the Australian-based, U.S.-listed business software maker, said it was pausing sales to Russia and suspending licences to Russian state-owned entities, joining a global trade exodus amid opposition to the Ukraine invasion.

The company led by Australia's second-richest person, Mike Cannon-Brookes, said on its website it was "appalled" by Russia's actions and stood with Ukraine and its people in the fight to keep their freedom and sovereignty.

"In response to Russia's aggression, we are pausing the sale of all new software to Russia," it said in the statement, signed by Cannon-Brookes and co-chief executive Scott Farquhar.

The firm was also suspending Russian state-owned licences as well as those to specific Russian businesses that support the war, it added, whether through cyber warfare, combat, or disinformation.

It did not identify those affected or their number.

The decision puts the $80-billion maker of project management software in the company of tech giants such as Apple, Google, Facebook, Oracle and SAP, which have frozen or curtailed dealings with Russia as condemnation of the invasion.

The Australian company added that it was not terminating existing relationships with small businesses in Russia, as it preferred to focus on businesses with "power and influence".

It said it did not host services or have employees in Ukraine or Russia, though its Ukraine contractors would be cut off from its internal systems to protect customer data.

The company has changed its network to keep customer data out of the affected regions, and stepped up security monitoring for customers who might face cyber attacks because of links to Ukraine, it added. (Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)