Russian social media VK sues Apple over app removal

Russian social media conglomerate VKontakte filed a lawsuit against three Apple corporate entities on August 19, demanding the tech giant return its applications to the App Store and restore user access to push notifications, according to state news agency TASS.

The St. Petersburg-based company also seeks financial penalties should Apple fail to comply with a potential court ruling, the report said, naming Apple Rus LLC, Apple Inc. and Apple Distribution International Limited as defendants.

Unannounced removal

Apple removed VK's applications from its marketplace in June without prior warning, prompting a sharp response from Russian authorities. The company described Apple's actions as "unmotivated and unacceptable," adding that it continues working to ensure users retain access to its products and services.

Moscow's reaction

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the removal raises serious questions about the reliability of Apple's services in the Russian market. He noted that the decision affects Russian-speaking users globally and advised VK customers to switch from Apple devices to Android alternatives.