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Apple removes Russian social network VKontakte from app store

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A board with the logo of VK (Vkontakte) is on display at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in St. Petersburg, Russia, 18 June 2022. EPA-EFE/ANATOLY MALTSEV" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/overseas/09/29/vk-logo.jpg"/><figcaption>A board with the logo of VK (Vkontakte) is on display at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in St. Petersburg, Russia, 18 June 2022. <em>EPA-EFE/ANATOLY MALTSEV</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Apple on Wednesday confirmed that it removed popular Russian social network VKontakte from its App Store globally due to sanctions imposed by Britain.</p><p>The British government on Monday sanctioned 92 Russian individuals and entities after President Vladimir Putin&#x27;s regime held referendums in Moscow-controlled areas of Ukraine -- denounced by Kyiv and its allies as a &quot;sham&quot; -- and stepped up threats against the West.</p><p>&quot;Sham referendums held at the barrel of a gun cannot be free or fair and we will never recognize their results,&quot; British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in a statement.</p><p>The sanctions target &quot;those behind these sham votes, as well as the individuals that continue to prop up the Russian regime&#x27;s war of aggression,&quot; he said.</p><p>San Petersburg-based tech firm VK said in a blog post that some of its applications were no longer available from the App Store, which serves as the lone gateway for content onto Apple mobile devices.</p><p>VK apps are used for messaging, digital payments and grocery shopping as well as social networking.</p><p>The VK apps removed from the App Store were being distributed by developers controlled or majority-owned by parties sanctioned by the UK government, and Apple is complying with the law, according to the Silicon Valley tech giant.</p><p>Apple said that it terminated developer accounts associated with the apps, which were not available from the App Store regardless of users&#x27; locations.</p><p>People who have already installed the apps on devices can still use them, but updates will no longer be provided through the App Store, according to Apple and VK.</p><p>&quot;Their core functionality will be familiar and stable,&quot; VKontakte-parent VK said of the apps.</p><p>&quot;There may be difficulties with the work of notifications and payments.&quot;</p><div><strong>gc/caw</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2258881" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Apple on Wednesday confirmed that it removed popular Russian social network VKontakte from its App Store globally due to sanctions imposed by Britain.