Apple Removes VPN Apps From Russian App Store
Apple has cut 25 virtual private network (VPN) apps for users in Russia, following a request by Roskomnadzor, Russia’s telecommunications regulator. Learn more about the development and its implications for Apple users in the country.
- Apple has removed 25 VPN mobile apps from its app store following a request by Russia’s communication regulator.
- The move is suspected to be driven by Russian authorities’ objective to restrict access to Western social media channels.
Apple has removed several VPN apps from its App Store for Russian users following the directions of a government communications regulator. The Roskomnadzor has demanded the removal of 25 of the leading VPN apps in the country. The demand is suspected to arise from the Russian government’s objective to block access to restricted content, such as Western media outlets.
Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, the internet in Russia has become very controlled with the censoring of several content forms. The request by the Russian regulator states, “We are writing to notify you that your application, per demand from Roskomnadzor, will be removed from the Russia App Store because it includes content that is illegal in Russia, which is not in compliance with the App Review Guidelines.”
See More: OpenAI Breach in 2023 Exposed Internal Messaging System
The restrictions on VPN apps started with the Russian government seeking to curtail the influence of foreign media outlets before the national elections in March 2025. While President Putin has banned VPNs since 2017, local authorities have not enforced the law until 2019.
Prominent names in the restricted list include Proton VPN, NordVPN, Planet VPN, Red Shield VPN, Le VPN, Hidemy.Name VPN and PIA VPN. Apple’s relationship with the Russian government has been contentious. In 2022, the company stopped hardware exports to the country as a protest of the Ukraine invasion. On the other hand, it has continued operations for its Russian App Store. Despite the current restrictions, Russian users can still access several other VPN apps, circumventing and reducing the efficacy of the government’s efforts for the foreseeable future.
LATEST NEWS STORIES
