Apple is removing the Russian social network VK from the App Store worldwide: here’s why

Apple has removed the iOS apps of VK, the tech conglomerate behind Russia’s version of Facebook — VKontakte — from its App Store worldwide. According to The Verge, VK said its apps are “blocked by Apple” but will “continue to develop and support iOS apps.”

In response to the website’s inquiry, Apple spokesman Adam Demo confirmed that the VK apps had been removed and the developer accounts had been closed. “These applications are distributed by developers, majority owned or controlled by one or more parties authorized by the UK government,” Demo quoted the statement as saying.

“To comply with these sanctions, Apple has closed the developer accounts associated with these apps, and the apps cannot be downloaded from any App Store, regardless of location. Users who have already downloaded these programs can continue to use them,” he added.

This week, the UK government imposed new sanctions on Russian oligarchs in response to Moscow’s recent sham referendums in occupied Ukraine. The sanctions affected 23 executives of Gazprombank, a Russian bank linked to VK.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/HsNdt_PGHew

VK is the second largest Internet company in Russia after Yandex, Google’s own version. The social network was created in 2006 by Pavlo Durov, who was eventually forced out because he “refused to cooperate with the authorities.” He now runs the popular messaging app Telegram.

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