Russia wants to know why Apple removed apps from the App Store

The US company Apple has removed several apps from the Russian company VK from its app store. The manufacturer cites sanctions against the VK managing director as the reason. The Kremlin demands explanations and advises switching to Android.

Apple blocks Russian VK apps

Apple has removed several mobile applications from Russian technology company VK from its App Store. Social networks, video platforms, email services and messengers are among those affected by the expulsion. The move restricts access for millions of users in Russia. VK criticizes the deletion of the programs and describes the procedure as unjustified. According to the developers, iPhone users will no longer receive push notifications for services such as VKontakte or Odnoklasseniki. There was already a similar block by Apple in September 2022, but it was lifted again after just under a month.

Government threatens consequences

How The Moscow Times reported, the Russian government also got involved due to the reach of the programs. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov is demanding an official statement from Apple about the incident. If the US company does not give any understandable reasons, appropriate conclusions will be drawn and further cooperation with the group will be fundamentally reconsidered. At the same time, the government advises citizens to switch to the Android operating system. Reason for this: The company’s applications are still available in the Google Play Store. Apple itself has officially stopped selling hardware in Russia since March 2022. Current devices only reach the country via the gray market because the group has stopped direct sales.

Sanctions as a possible reason

Apple justifies the removal of the software by complying with international sanctions and local laws. The Russian company VK, however, emphasized in a statement that it is not on any sanctions list itself. But the devil is in the details here: although VK is not directly sanctioned, the acting managing director Vladimir Kiriyenko is. Because this is subject to personal sanctions by the USA, Great Britain and the European Union.

The incident also has another level: Russia is currently building up its own digital infrastructure and regulating the influence of Western platforms. The state is actively promoting the messenger MAX developed by VK. The program must be preinstalled on all mobile devices officially sold in Russia. Since Apple products are only imported unofficially, the regulation does not apply to the iPhone.