Apple halts all product sales in Russia and blocks state media outlets from the App Store

• Apple has stopped selling products in Russia and is pulling the apps for RT News and Sputnik news.

• All exports to Russian sales channels were stopped last week, and Apple Pay has been limited.

• “We join all those around the world who are calling for peace,” the company said Tuesday.

Apple has stopped all product sales in Russia and is in the process of removing state news apps RT and Sputnik News from its App Store outside of the country, the company said Tuesday, in the latest corporate in response to the invasion of Ukraine last week.

The iPhone-maker has also limited Apple Pay and is disabling live incidents and traffic status from Apple Maps in Ukraine “as a safety and precautionary measure for Ukrainian citizens.”

“We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand with all of the people who are suffering as a result of the violence,” Apple said, adding that all exports to Russian sales channels were stopped last week.

The move follows a request on Friday from Ukraine’s digital minister Mykhailo Fedorov that the company stop providing products, apps, and services to Russia.

“I am deeply concerned with the situation in Ukraine,” CEO Tim Cook tweeted on Thursday. “We’re doing all we can for our teams there and will be supporting local humanitarian efforts. I am thinking of the people who are right now in harm’s way and joining all those calling for peace.”

Apple’s latest actions add to a swift and coordinated response from governments and businesses around the world, with the US, EU, and UK implementing severe economic and financial sanctions against Russia, including restrictions on the export of tech products to the country.

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