Apple to remove VPN apps from it’s Russian app store
Apple has pulled 25 VPN apps from its Russian App Store at the request of Roskomnadzor, Russia’s internet regulatory body. The apps affected include well-known services like NordVPN, Proton VPN, Red Shield VPN, and Planet VPN.
This move is part of a larger initiative by the Russian government to regulate internet access and censor online content. Russians frequently use VPNs to bypass government censorship and access restricted websites.
According to reports from Interfax and other Russian news outlets, Roskomnadzor attributed the removal to the apps’ failure to comply with local legal requirements.
This isn’t the first instance of censorship by the Russian government. Since the Ukrainian conflict began in February 2022, the Kremlin has ramped up efforts to block access to many media outlets and social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X.
I am one of the editors here at www.systemtek.co.uk I am a UK based technology professional, with an interest in computer security and telecoms.