Apple Shuts Down Sales of Products in Russia, Restricts Access to News Apps

Tech giant Apple has shut down the sales of its products in Russia and restricted the apps of Russian state news outlets such as Russia Today and Sputnik.

NBC News reports that Apple has halted the sale of its products in Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Apple does not have any official stores in Russia but ships its products to the country through its online stores and via third-party retail stores in the country.

Apple has taken a strong stance against Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, banning its payment service in the country after the U.S. sanctioned Russian banks and restricting the apps of Russian state media Russia Today and Sputnik. The news apps will only be viewable in Russia, according to a company spokesperson.

Ukrainian service members look for and collect unexploded shells after a fighting with Russian raiding group in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv in the morning of February 26, 2022, according to Ukrainian service personnel at the scene. (Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

Following Google’s lead, Apple has also shut down live traffic tracking on its Apple Map app in order to limit knowledge of Ukrainian troop movements.

Apple’s Tim Cook got big pay bump in 2018: filing (Noah Berger/AFP)

Breitbart News recently reported that Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook requesting that Apple cut off its services to Russia. Fedorov, who also acts as Ukraine’s digital minister, published the letter he sent to Cook on Twitter.

The letter asked Cooke to help “protect Ukraine” and to “stop supplying Apple services and products to the Russian Federation, including blocking access to the App Store.” Fedorov added: “We need your support — in 2022, modern technology is perhaps the best answer to the tanks, multiple rocket launchers (hrad) and missiles.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted last Friday that he was “deeply concerned with the situation in Ukraine.” He added: “We’re doing all we can for our teams there and will be supporting local humanitarian efforts. I am thinking of the people who are right now in harm’s way and joining all those calling for peace.”