Apple has removed several VPN apps from its Russian App Store at the request of the Russian government's communications watchdog, according to VPN makers.
Last week, Russian news agency Interfax reported that Apple had removed 25 VPN apps from its Russian App Store at the request of Roskomnadzor, the government agency that regulates the internet, including that accessible to Russian citizens.
The internet in Russia is tightly controlled and censored, so Russian online users often turn to VPNs to get around restrictions and access blocked content.
On Monday, two VPN services, Le VPN and Red Shield VPN, told TechCrunch that they had received letters from Apple informing them of the companies' decision to remove their apps from the App Store.
“We inform you that at the request of the Federal Communications Supervisory Service of the Russian Federation, your application will be removed from the Russian App Store because it contains content that is illegal in Russia and does not comply with the App Review Guidelines,” reads the letter Apple sent to the company, according to a screenshot provided to TechCrunch by Red Shield VPN CEO and founder Vladislav Zdolnikov.
Another source who claims to know some of the developers of the banned apps also provided the same letter to TechCrunch.
The letter essentially claims that the VPN app in question violates Russian law.
“Your app must comply with all legal requirements wherever you publish (check with a lawyer if you're unsure),” the letter reads. “We know this is complicated, but it is your responsibility to understand and ensure your app complies with not only the guidelines below, but all local laws.”
The letter did not provide specific reasons for the app's removal, but said the RSC's request for its removal was authorized by specific provisions of Russian federal law.
This is the latest crackdown on VPNs since the government introduced a ban on VPN advertising ahead of national elections in March.
Zdolnikov said in an email that Red Shield VPN, along with other removed apps such as HideMyName and Le VPN, were “developed and maintained by people with a deep understanding of how Russian internet censorship works.”
“We know how to get around these restrictions and are constantly improving our services. Despite years of efforts to block our services, users still have access to them,” Zdolnikov wrote. “It turns out that Apple was doing this work for the Russian authorities with a higher quality.”
Le VPN founder Konstantin Votinov told TechCrunch that the company received a message from Apple notifying them of the removal on July 4. In Le VPN's case, Votinov said, the Russian Federal Communications Commission flagged the app's description on the App Store as “copyright infringing content.”
“we [Roskomnadzor] “It was removed via Apple after our app had already been removed and there was no opportunity to address our concerns. This appears to be part of a wider crackdown affecting at least 25 VPN providers in Russia,” Botinov said.
Apple halted hardware exports to Russia in 2022 and suspended some services in protest of the country's invasion of Ukraine, though its app store remains open. Apple did not respond to TechCrunch's request for comment. The Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.