Russian Social Network VKontakte and Mail.ru Back In Apple App Store: What Changed?

Apple has allowed Russian social network VKontakte and webmail provider Mail.ru back into the walled garden called the App Store. The iPhone maker had previously thrown these platforms out of its app ecosystem in response to U.K. sanctions. Strangely, the reasons cited for the removal of these Russian platforms haven't changed. Hence, it is unclear why Apple rolled back its decision and welcomed them back.

Russian Services VKontakte and Mail.ru Back In Apple App Store

VKontakte is the Russian equivalent of Facebook. It is a huge social media platform, popular not only in Russia but across the world. Mail.ru is similar to Google's Gmail. Both these services were suddenly yanked out of the Apple App Store as part of sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Incidentally, Apple did not block VKontakte and Mail.ru immediately after Russia invaded Ukraine. The iPhone maker blocked these apps following a package of sanctions enacted by the British government. These sanctions were aimed at Gazprombank and its employees. Gazprombank is a Russian bank with links to VKontakte.

The sanctions themselves were a response to the highly questionable referenda staged by Russian authorities in occupied areas of Ukraine. Although Apple's decision to penalize Russian organizations may be right, these platforms are back inside Apple's walled garden, confirmed the Apple Censorship project.

Apple's App Censorship And Blocking Protocols Lack Clarity And Transparency

While blocking VKontakte and Mail.ru, Apple justified its actions by stating:

"These apps are being distributed by developers [who are] majority-owned or majority-controlled by one or more parties sanctioned by the UK government".

Needless to say, Apple's response seems legitimate. What makes no sense, is the reappearance of the Russian platforms in the Apple App Store within weeks of their removal, even though nothing has changed.

The ownership of VKontake and Mail.ru hasn't changed since the apps were removed. In other words, both of these platforms haven't been sold to a company outside Russia. Additionally, the British government hasn't lifted the sanctions on any of the leadership of Gazprombank and Sberbank.

Apple had long accepted Russia's insistence on promoting VKontake and Mail.ru apps. These apps had to be on a list that Apple was legally obliged to show new iPhone owners in Russia during the initial setup of these devices. But Apple has stopped the sale of its products in the country, and this point may be redundant. Still, Russia has banned dozens of apps in the country, and several Apple products are on the list.

Apple hasn't come forth with any explanation, and it is not likely to. The iPhone maker usually chooses not to make any comments on such developments. Many app developers have complained about Apple's opaque censorship and approval procedures. The company has been known to delay deployments of apps and their updates because it insists on vetting everything.