Apple on Russian invasion of Ukraine: all product sales paused, RT and Sputnik News apps pulled

In a statement to media, Apple said it is deeply concerned about the Russian invasion and said it stands with all those who are suffering as a result of the violence. Apple said it is supporting humanitarian efforts and providing relief aid.

Apple also confirmed that it has paused all product sales and stopped exports into the Russian sales channel. It has also pulled the Russian state media apps for RT News and Sputnik News in all App Store regions outside of Russia.

Apple has also followed Google’s lead in disabling live traffic and incident reporting in Ukraine, in collaboration with local authorities.

Apple joins many other companies who are showing solidarity with Ukraine by pulling their products from the region and limiting the spread of state-backed Russian news media.

In the statement, Apple said it is in communication with relevant governments on its actions and continues to evaluate its approach towards Russia.

The Ukraine minister Mykhailo Fedorov had previously called on Apple to stop product sales and block App Store access in Russia. Whilst the company has now stopped all product sales, the App Store in Russia remains available. The Sputnik and RT News apps also remain available in the Russian App Store.

Here’s the full Apple statement: