Apple removes VPN apps from the Russian App Store

Apple has removed a number of VPN applications from its local App Store.

Moscow has taken a further step in controlling its population. Pavel Durov, Telegram’s founder, disclosed the news himself on X (formerly Twitter): Streisand, V2Box, v2RayTun and Happ Proxy Utility are among the proxies and VPNs that have now vanished from the Russian App Store following pressure from the authorities. Telegram itself is now only partly accessible within the country.

Major commercial names including NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Proton were already swept away in 2024 during an initial wave of removals. The latest targets are now last-resort technical tools: these apps enabled more technically knowledgeable users to run their own servers and, until now, avoid the regulator’s net. For the time being, they can still be downloaded from the Russian Google Play Store, once again showing that Apple complies with state demands more quickly than its Android rival.

Russia targets VPNs and proxies

Rather than simply blocking them, Russian telecommunications regulator Roskomnadzor is said to have developed the ability to selectively target VPN traffic, rendering circumvention tools ineffective. In response to government demands, Apple is following the approach it had already adopted in China in 2024 when it withdrew WhatsApp and Threads: the company says it is “required to comply with the laws of the countries where it operates, even when it disagrees.”

A global trend

It would be wrong to view this development solely through the Russian situation. The same trend, albeit with a stronger legal framework, is under way in Western democracies, where Apple occupies a similar position. In the United Kingdom, the Online Safety Act came into force in July 2025 and requires people to prove they are over 18 before accessing adult content, using methods approved by Ofcom: an identity document scan, biometric age estimation or bank verification. Internet users reacted immediately, with Proton VPN recording an increase of more than 1,400% in UK registrations in the hours after the law took effect.

Apple introduces iOS 26.4 age verification in the UK

Apple did not wait to receive a formal notice in the United Kingdom. A few days ago, with the release of iOS 26.4, it incorporated an age-verification mechanism into its operating system for the UK market, anticipating regulatory requirements. The 35 million British iPhone owners can no longer access every app on the Store if those apps do not match their age category.