Apple Blocks Russian Apps, Citizens Told to Switch to Android

In 2025, Russia led the world in a dubious category: demanding that Apple remove apps from its App Store. According to Apple’s latest Transparency Report, the country requested the takedown of 1,213 applications,most of them VPN services designed to bypass the nation’s strict Internet censorship. For context, second-place Vietnam asked for only 335 removals.

The Kremlin’s strategy appears to be constructing a closed, surveillance-friendly, domestic version of the web. While Russian authorities eagerly demand bans on what they deem “bad” or “degenerate” apps, they fiercely protect their own. Apps like VKontakte, a local analog to Facebook, and Max, a state-mandated messaging platform, are considered essential. One exile publication described Max with a painfully detailed headline: “You already know Russia’s Max messenger spies on users. You probably don’t know just how many surveillance tools it hides, including even a neural network for eavesdropping.”

Now, Apple has taken action against both. In the first week of June, the company blocked Max for iPhone users across Russia. Then, on June 25, it removed VKontakte as well. While existing installs remain functional, push notifications have been shut down, rendering the apps far less practical for everyday use.

The Moscow Times reports that Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated yesterday that the Russian government expects a formal explanation from Apple regarding the removal of the VK apps. The move signals a deepening rift between the tech giant and one of its most demanding regulators.