Apple announced, through its spokesperson, that it is stopping the sale of its products in Russia due to the country's invasion of Ukraine.
Apple does not have physical stores in Russia and typically ships its phones, computers, and tablets through its online stores and through third-party retailers.
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The company recently suspended Apple Pay in Russia after the United States imposed sanctions on Russian banks, and now it appears to be imposing other restrictions on its other services. Apple appears to have restricted apps for Russian state-run news agencies RT and Sputnikto only be visible in Russia. Additionally, Apple Maps no longer displays traffic in Ukraine to protect people in the country.
The App Store will continue to operate and users in Russia will still be able to update their software.
Apple's announcement about the sales halt and service restrictions came shortly after Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov , posted that Apple had stopped selling its products in Russia. The post also included a thank-you message to Apple CEO Tim Cook .
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The move joins a list of companies that have distanced themselves from Russia, including Disney, UPS and FedEx. Oil giant Shell announced on Monday it was pulling out of all Russian operations. General Motors and Volvo suspended vehicle exports to Russia.
Other tech companies have also made changes related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Google has disabled live traffic tools on its maps, while Facebook and YouTube have restricted the reach of Russian state media in the European Union.
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“We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand with all people suffering as a result of the violence,” an Apple spokesperson said. “We are supporting humanitarian efforts, providing assistance to the unfolding refugee crisis, and doing everything we can to support our teams in the region.”
Source: NBC News
