On June 25, a number of Russian apps owned by the VK holding company were removed from the App Store, including the social networks “VKontakte” and “Odnoklassniki.” Apple attributes the removal of the apps to sanctions. In Russia, the American company is accused of unfair competition and discrimination.
In brief:
- Apple has removed all apps belonging to the Russian VK holding company from the official App Store.
- Since 2018, Russian information providers have been required to store data on users’ calls, messages, and other online activities and provide it to Russian intelligence agencies.
- Despite the removal of messaging apps from the App Store—a move unfavorable to Russia—Apple has repeatedly accommodated Roskomnadzor by removing apps from the marketplace that belong to independent media outlets and VPN services, which helped users bypass domestic restrictions.
- In Russia, Apple is accused of discrimination, and the reliability of the App Store as a service provider is being called into question due to the removal of Russian apps from the marketplace.
- The list of social networks freely accessible to Russian users has shrunk to virtually zero. Among the apps that remain fully accessible are WeChat, Snapchat, and Pinterest, as well as Telegram, which is on the verge of being banned.
Which apps have disappeared from the App Store
On June 25, a number of Russian apps owned by the VK holding company were removed from Apple’s official App Store. Among them were the social networks “VKontakte” and “Odnoklassniki.”
Apple commented on the removal of the apps, citing the imposition of sanctions. Earlier, the “MAH” social network app—which Russia had designated as a national social network back in 2025—had already been removed from the App Store. At that time, the BBC’s Russian service received a comment from Apple that also cited sanctions as the basis for the decision, but the comment did not specify which sanctions the company was referring to, as the holding company’s apps are not included on any official international sanctions lists (those of the U.S., the EU, or the U.K.).
By the end of June, all VKontakte apps had disappeared from the App Store: VK Video, VK Music, VK Messenger, VK Dating, Mail.ru, “Zen,” and “Odnoklassniki.”
Despite being removed from the app store, the apps remain active for users who downloaded them earlier, but updates should no longer be expected. The ability to receive push notifications has also been disabled.
The Dangers of Russian Social Networks
In Ukraine, the social networks “VKontakte” and “Odnoklassniki” were banned in May 2017 as part of sanctions against Russia. At the time, BBC Ukraine reported that this decision may have been driven by an attempt to stem the large flow of personal information that Ukrainian users upload to social media servers located in Russia. At the time of the ban, VKontakte had over 25 million registered users from Ukraine, and Odnoklassniki had about 9.5 million.
On July 1, 2018, Russia adopted Law No. 374-FZ “On Amendments to the Federal Law ‘On Countering Terrorism’ and Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Regarding the Establishment of Additional Measures to Counter Terrorism and Ensure Public Safety,” which was later dubbed the “Yarovaya Law”. The essence of the changes is that all telecommunications operators and messaging apps listed in the registry of information distributors are required to retain records of users’ calls, correspondence, video and photo messages, as well as forum comments, for six months. Access to this data may be granted to Russian special services by court order, but the Russian FSB will hold the encryption keys for users’ correspondence. Furthermore, telecommunications providers must coordinate with the FSB regarding the requirements for the specialized equipment they are required to install.
In addition to Ukraine, VKontakte has also been completely blocked in Latvia since 2022. Some countries around the world have imposed partial or temporary restrictions on the network’s operations. For example, in the Netherlands, restrictions on access to Russian platforms were introduced as part of pan-European sanctions aimed at limiting the influence of Russian propaganda.
How the sanctions began to be implemented and why not all of them are in effect
Apple’s first sanctions measures in 2022 included withdrawing from the Russian market, closing official stores, discontinuing warranty service for devices, halting the supply of original replacement parts, and banning payments via Apple Pay. However, the market continues to thrive thanks to products imported through parallel import schemes, while Russians circumvent restrictions on subscription payments by changing their Apple ID region and through other means.
Despite the sanctions, iPhones remain extremely popular in Russia. According to the website Iphones.ru, the share of iPhone users in Russia rose to 25% in 2026. The publication notes that users are not giving up their devices but are adapting to the restrictions.
The next stage in the implementation of restrictions was the gradual removal of apps from the App Store. For example, in 2022, apps from Russian banks that had been added to sanctions lists were removed from the App Store.
What Makes Apple’s Position Ambiguous
Apple has repeatedly been accused of collaborating with Roskomnadzor, which led to the removal of a number of apps from media outlets and VPN services banned in Russia.
In 2024, restrictions were imposed on independent media outlets, including projects by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s Russian branch, the “Podcasts” app of the BBC Russian Service, podcasts from The Insider and “Echo of Moscow,” and the “Segodnya” TV channel app, created by the media corporation “Radio Free Europe/ Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in partnership with Voice of America, and others.
At that time, Apple provided an official response to a request from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), justifying the removal of the apps by citing compliance with the laws of the Russian Federation, violations of which could lead to the suspension of content distribution and App Store support in Russia. The company stated: “The U.S. government encourages companies to maintain the availability of communication services for the Russian population, believing that the availability of these services is necessary to uphold democratic principles.”
Apple also removed more than a hundred VPN services from the App Store at Roskomnadzor’s request; these services allowed Russians to bypass domestic restrictions and access alternative sources of information that are banned in Russia.
However, as early as June 2026, Apple—without any concerns about losing opportunities to distribute content in Russia—blocked four major Russian social networks at once.
How Moscow Reacted to the Disappearance of “VKontakte”
VK was the first to react to the removal of its apps from the App Store, accusing Apple of restricting Russian users’ access to apps necessary for daily use. VK also stated that its apps are not on any sanctions list, a fact of which Apple has been informed.
Russian politicians were less restrained in their comments. Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov casts doubt on the reliability of the App Store as a service provider.
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development called the decision politically motivated and a manifestation of unfair competition in favor of rival foreign platforms.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Apple of discrimination and a deliberate “purge of undesirables.” In response, the Kremlin issued an official request to Apple asking for an explanation of why the apps were removed from the App Store, but Apple made it clear in its response that it complies with the laws of the countries in which it operates.
VK is not subject to Western sanctions, but its CEO, Vladimir Kirienko, has been sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. His father, Sergey Kirienko, is the first deputy head of President Vladimir Putin’s administration, according to Reuters.
What’s Left for Russians
Currently, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), as well as messaging apps WhatsApp and Signal, are already legally banned for Russians. Meanwhile, Apple has restricted its users from downloading four additional social media platforms that spread Russian narratives: VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, MAKH, and Zen.
In 2022, ByteDance suspended the ability for Russians to upload new videos to TikTok, so only older content can officially be viewed within Russia.
Russians still have unrestricted access to WeChat, Snapchat, and Pinterest, and Reddit and Duolingo are partially accessible (the companies have imposed their own restrictions). Therefore, the battle within Russia against the blocking of Telegram may become even more intense.
Yulia Derdyuk
Official Russian and Belarusian sources cited in this text are for informational purposes only. Content from these sources may constitute disinformation or propaganda.
