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Олександр КузьменкоСанкції
25 June 2026, 12:42
2026-06-25
Apple Removes Apps from Russian Company VK and Odnoklassniki Social Network from App Store
The American corporation Apple has blocked and removed from the App Store, without warning, most of the key services of the Russian holding VK, including the Mail.ru mail service, the Zen content platform, and the Odnoklassniki social network. Previously installed applications continue to work, but iPhone users can no longer download or update them, and are also complaining about problems with notification delivery.
The American corporation Apple has blocked and removed from the App Store, without warning, most of the key services of the Russian holding VK, including the Mail.ru mail service, the Zen content platform, and the Odnoklassniki social network. Previously installed applications continue to work, but iPhone users can no longer download or update them, and are also complaining about problems with notification delivery.
The mass disappearance of Russian apps from the iOS platform became known on the morning of June 25, Russian media reported. In addition to mobile clients of social networks, the services VK Video, VK Messenger, VK Music, VK Dating, as well as products of the educational platform Skillbox were subject to restrictions.
The Russian government reports that the main application of the social network VKontakte remains available for download for some iOS users, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to find it in the App Store search. There has been no official comment from Apple representatives regarding the reasons for the removal, although the company usually takes such steps to comply with international sanctions.
The press service of the Russian holding company VK expressed indignation at the actions of the American tech giant, calling the decision unacceptable and unmotivated. The developers claim that the company has never been directly sanctioned.
«Official legal opinions and all necessary information have long been at Apple’s disposal. However, Apple unilaterally removed the VK applications without warning,» company representatives told the aggressor country.
For owners of Android-based devices, the situation remains unchanged — Russian applications are still available for download on Google Play and local localized Russian stores.
In September 2022, Apple removed the social network VKontakte, the email app Mail.ru, and other apps owned by VK in response to UK sanctions against financial institutions that own the Russian company. However, within a month , the company returned VKontakte to the App Store, noting that the app’s developers had provided evidence that it was not «majority-owned or controlled by a sanctioned entity.»
During 2025, 1,213 applications were removed from the Russian segment of the App Store, including mobile clients of sanctioned banks, media resources, and transport services. In particular, in early June, the Russian messenger Max completely disappeared from the App Store. The application cannot be found either through the service’s search engine or via a direct link. VK confirmed the fact of the removal of the application, noting that the installation of the messenger on Apple devices is currently blocked.
