Apple has removed several VPN apps from the App Store in Russia following regulatory pressure from the Roskomnadzor, the country’s media regulation and censorship agency, according to a new report from Mediazona (via Novaya Gazeta).
Per the report, affected VPN apps from the latest removal order include popular offerings like ProtonVPN, Red Shield VPN, NordVPN, and Le VPN. iPhone users in Russia can no longer download and update any of those VPN apps, but those who already have them installed on their devices can continue to use its services. Apple has begun notifying developers of the affected VPN apps of their removal in Russia, citing “illegal content” in these apps as described by the Roskomnadzor.
Russian censorship is nothing new, yet the country has taken its restrictions on digital content and news to new heights since the beginning of its February 2022 military incursion into Ukraine. Russia has similarly banned US-based social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It has even limited access to websites instructing users on using and setting up VPN apps and services.
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Apple has officially suspended operations and sales of its products in Russia since March 2022 like many other American companies, yet it continues to comply with orders and regulations set forward by Roskomnadzor. Since 2023, Apple has removed around 19 apps from the Russian App Store, including one developed by the team of the deceased opposition politician Alexey Navalny to orchestrate a voting bloc against Vladimir Putin during the most recent presidential elections.
