Apple is removing the US-funded news program RFE/RL from the Russian App Store, the newspaper reported

(Reuters) – Apple has removed one of the US-funded Russian-language news programs of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty from the Russian App Store at the request of state communications regulator Roskomnadzor, the news agency said on Friday.

Apple and Roskomnadzor did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters journalists in Russia still had access to the app on mobile devices.

Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has blacklisted dozens of opposition media sites and banned several foreign social media platforms as part of an information war unleashed by the West following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow’s restrictions on news sites ultimately limit Russians’ access to independent media. Moscow often accuses blocked sites of false reporting.

Radio Liberty journalist Alsa Kurmasheva, who was found guilty in Russia of spreading false information about the Russian army, was released as a result of a prisoner exchange with the West on August 1. Director General of RFE/RL Steven Kapus called Kurmasheva’s trial and conviction “a mockery of justice.”

Siberia.Realities, one of RFE/RL’s local websites in Russia, reported that Apple had informed RFE/RL, which means “freedom” in Russian, that the Freedom app was being removed. The application contains Russian content of the Sibir.Realii and Pivnich.Realii projects.

Apple removed 25 virtual private network apps from its App Store in Russia at the behest of Roskomnadzor, the Interfax news agency reported in July, as part of Moscow’s crackdown on services that help people circumvent online restrictions.

Shortly after the invasion of Ukraine, Apple suspended all sales of its products in Russia and limited the provision of Apple Pay services in Russia.

(Reporting by Alexander Marrow; additional reporting by Hleb Stolyarov; editing by Rod Nickel)