Apple pulls VK apps from App Store, drawing Kremlin rebuke

Apple removed VK's suite of apps — including VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, and Mail.ru — from the App Store on Thursday without explanation.yahoo+1
VK said it has never faced sanctions, though its CEO Vladimir Kiriyenko is personally sanctioned by the U.S., EU, and U.K.themoscowtimes
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the move "strange" and urged Russians to switch to alternative operating systems.nampa

Apple removed apps belonging to Russia's largest social media company VK from its App Store on Thursday, prompting Moscow to demand an explanation and advise Russian citizens to switch to alternative operating systems.

VK Calls Removal 'Completely Unprompted'

VK accused Apple of removing its suite of apps "without prior notice or justification," calling the move "completely unprompted and unacceptable" in a statement issued June 25. "Apple is cutting off Russian users from highly popular services used by tens of millions of people every single day," VK said.yahoo+1

The affected apps include VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, VK Video, VK Messenger, VK Music, VK Dating, Mail.ru, the educational platform Skillbox, and the content platform Dzen, according to Russian business outlet RBC. The company warned iPhone users they will no longer receive push notifications for its services.themoscowtimes+1

VK emphasized in its statement that it "has never been subject to sanctions and has never appeared on any sanctions list". However, VK CEO Vladimir Kiriyenko, the son of Kremlin adviser Sergei Kiriyenko, is personally under U.S., EU, and British sanctions.themoscowtimes

Kremlin Response

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that the removal was "strange, to say the least" and cast doubt on the reliability of Apple as a service provider. Peskov said the Russian government expects an explanation from Apple and advised Russians to switch to other operating systems.nampa+1

Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to Reuters and The Moscow Times.themoscowtimes+1

Pattern of Removals

The move follows a similar episode in September 2022, when Apple removed VK's apps globally to comply with British sanctions targeting entities majority-owned or majority-controlled by sanctioned parties. Apple restored access less than a month later.techcrunch+3

Earlier this month, Apple removed Russia's state-backed messaging app Max from the App Store to comply with sanctions. While VK apps remain available on Android devices, the iOS removal strikes at a company that has become central to Russia's efforts to build domestic alternatives to Western tech platforms.themoscowtimes+1

Sources (13)