Apple confirmed on Wednesday that it has removed the globally popular Russian social network VKontakte from the App Store due to restrictions imposed by Britain.
The British government on Monday sanctioned 92 Russian individuals and entities after President Vladimir Putin’s regime held a referendum in Moscow-controlled parts of Ukraine – condemned as “absolute” by Kyiv and its allies – and stepped up threats against the West.
“A referendum held at gunpoint cannot be free or fair, and we will never recognize its results,” British Foreign Secretary James Chatterjee said in a statement.
The sanctions are aimed at “those behind these false views as well as individuals who advance the Russian regime’s war of aggression.”
San Petersburg-based tech firm VK A Blog post that some of those applications are no longer available from the App Store, which serves as the sole gateway to content on Apple mobile devices.
VK apps are used for messaging, digital payments and grocery shopping as well as social networking.
The VK apps removed from the App Store were distributed by developers controlled or majority owned by parties approved by the UK government, and according to the Silicon Valley tech giant, Apple is complying with the law.
Apple said it terminated developer accounts associated with apps, which were not available from the App Store regardless of users’ locations.
According to Apple and VK, people who already have apps installed on the device can still use them, but updates will not be provided through the App Store.
“Their core functionality will be familiar and stable,” VKontakte-parent VK said of the apps.
“Notices and payments may experience difficulties.”
