Apple removes 25 VPN apps from App Store in Russia, here's why

Apple has reportedly taken down 25 virtual private network (VPN) apps from its App Store in Russia. The move comes as Russian authorities intensified their efforts to restrict access to online services that allow users to bypass internet censorship, reports Reuters quoting the Interfax news agency.
"Apple's actions, motivated by a desire to retain revenue from the Russian market, actively support an authoritarian regime," Red Shield VPN said in a statement.
"This is not just reckless but a crime against civil society," it added.

Millions of people across Russia have downloaded VPNs to bypass government censors and access content banned by authorities. The report says that the Russian government has banned around 150 VPNs and plans to completely eliminate the services. It has also put many opposition media websites and foreign social media platforms on blacklists.
This has led to freelance programmers and VPN companies working to build stronger tools to evade censors.
The Reuters report quotes Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the parliamentary committee on information policy, saying "...Apple is one of the few American companies that strive to comply with Russian legislation and maintain a dialogue with the regulator."
"I am sure that this position is dictated by the desire to officially return to the Russian market in the long term."

There has been an ongoing tension between Russia and big tech companies for a long time now. These conflicts centre around issues such as content regulation, data control, and censorship. Apple has previously paused all product sales in Russia soon after the Ukraine invasion. The company also limited its Apple Pay service there.
Apple, as per a Russian lawmaker, has previously deleted Red Shield VPN, Le VPN, Proton VPN and NordVPN in compliance with orders from communications regulator Roskomnadzor.