Apple stated that the removal of independent media apps was motivated by concerns for the well-being of Russian citizens.

"Failure to comply with Russian legislation may result in Apple being unable to distribute content in Russia. The U.S. government encourages actions aimed at ensuring the availability of communication services for the Russian population, believing that such services are essential to support democratic principles," said Apple representatives.

At the same time, it has been revealed that the company has extended its rights to own the trademark and logo featuring the bitten apple in Russia until 2035. The ownership period under the previous contract was set to expire in the spring of 2025.

• Previously, applications for Radio Free Europe and its projects - Siberia.Reality, North.Reality, and "Current Time" - were removed from the Russian App Store at the request of Roskomnadzor. Roskomnadzor informed Apple that the applications contained information materials from an organization whose activities are prohibited on Russian territory. The media corporation Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was included in the list of undesirable organizations in Russia in February. The corporation's president, Stephen Capus, described this decision as "yet another example of how the Russian government perceives truthful journalistic materials as an existential threat."
• In September, 28 organizations, including human rights groups, media outlets, and VPN application developers, appealed to Apple, demanding an end to censorship in Russia at the request of Russian authorities.