Apple Continues To Genuflect To Vladimir Putin In The Russian Apple App Store

Back when Vladimir Putin first launched his aggressive war of choice on Ukraine, much of the Western world mobilized into action in a way that was fairly impressive. All kinds of companies and brands voluntarily began pulling out of the market, sometimes at the request of Ukraine itself. Much was made of tech firms pulling out of the market or suspending service in Russia at that time, specifically. Apple was one of those companies, suspending hardware sales and some services in Russia, though it kept the Russian App Store live and available.

In the intervening couple of years, however, that voluntary embargo in Russia has softened. And, with the App Store still open, Apple has continued to bend to the will of Vladimir Putin when it comes to policing the App Store for anything the Kremlin decides it doesn’t like.

Apple has removed several apps offering virtual private network (VPN) services from the Russian AppStore, following a request from Roskomnadzor, Russia’s media regulator, independent news outlet Mediazona reported on Thursday.

The VPN services removed by Apple include leading services such as ProtonVPN, Red Shield VPN, NordVPN and Le VPN. Those living in Russia will no longer be able to download the services, while users who already have them on their phones can continue using them, but will be unable to update them.

So, what to think about all of this? Certainly some folks will point out that Apple has no choice but to comply with Russian law while operating the App Store in country. And, sure, that’s true. But operating the store is in and of itself a choice that Apple is making. And Apple is a company that has been particularly vocal when it comes to protecting the privacy and rights of its users. It seems that moral stance includes some kind of a carve out for Russians, however.

Apple can do this, of course. But what it cannot do is accept the cheers for pulling out of Russia and for its customer-privacy focus while also accepting its role as digital policeman for the Kremlin. Pick a lane, you can’t have both. And the company is specifically doing the political bidding of the Russian Big Bad, it should be pointed out.

Despite suspending all sales of its own products in Russia in March 2022, Apple has continued to comply with Russian government regulations and has deleted at least 19 apps from the Russian AppStore since 2023.

At Roskomnadzor’s request, in March Apple removed an app developed by late Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny’s team that was designed to help Russians choose who to vote for to maximise the impact of the anti-Putin vote, in a move that echoed the removal of another Navalny-designed app in 2021.

So the question is what Apple wants to be. A privacy advocate for its customers that is willing to stand up to government, as it has done in the United States? Or a cynical money-focused corporation willing to take what is essentially political action in favor of government against both opposition forces and its own customers, as it has in Russia.

Pick one, Apple. It cannot be both.