The Russian government recently forced Apple to remove 25 virtual private networks (VPNs) from the fruit company’s Russia-based App store. The removal was done at the behest of Roskomnadzor, the country’s telecommunications watchdog.
As per its request, the list includes, among others, NordVPN, Proton, Red Shield, Planet, Hidemy.Name, Le, and PIA. Roskomnadzor alleges that these VPNs allowed people in the country to gain access that are deemed illegal in Russia, on Apple devices.
❗ Apple по требованию Роскомнадзора удалил приложение Red Shield VPN из российского App Store.
Нам известно как минимум об ещё одном приложении VPN, которое было удалёно одновременно с нашим.Мы призываем журналистов и правозащитные организации публиковать информацию и… pic.twitter.com/kWZ4Ymw4gA
— Red Shield VPN (@RedShieldVPN_ru) July 4, 2024
“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,” Apple said in emails sent to some of the affected VPN vendors.
Russia’s Roskomnadzor has been consistently dialling up the pressure on VPNs in-country, more so after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. One tactic that the Russian government tends to do is to suppress both the amount and type of information that it wants its citizens to see, hear, and view. As it stands, Kaspersky is currently the only vendor that is connected to Russia’s Federal Government Information System (FGIS).
(Source: BleepingComputers)
