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Russia Orders Mobile Operators to Disable Apple Account Payments to Limit VPN Access
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Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development has instructed mobile operators to disable the ability to top up Apple ID accounts using mobile phone balances starting April 1, according to sources in the telecommunications sector cited by RBC on March 30.
The directive was reportedly communicated during a meeting on March 28 with Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev. Major operators, including MTS, MegaFon, T2 Mobile, and VimpelCom (Beeline), were told to implement the changes.
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According to one source, the measure is intended to limit Russians’ ability to pay for VPN services, which are widely used to bypass internet restrictions.
A government source cited by Interfax confirmed that authorities are also seeking to pressure Apple into restoring Russian applications to the App Store. The source said officials believe that “temporary restrictions from operators may encourage” Apple to comply, as “lost revenue would otherwise be too significant.”
Authorities have also raised concerns that Apple has not complied with requests from Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, to remove VPN services from the App Store. According to officials, such services account for more than 80% of all purchases.
In addition, the ministry has criticized Apple for not adhering to legislation requiring the installation of the domestic RuStore app marketplace and for limiting alternative payment methods for digital products.
The issue of compliance with Russian regulations has been a point of tension for some time. Russian Ministry of Digital Development has previously backed the Federal Antimonopoly Service’s demand that Apple allow iOS users to choose Russian search engines by default.
“The Ministry supports FAS’s position on Apple’s unconditional compliance with the ‘choice window’ requirement [for search engines]. And we believe that if Apple fails to comply, tough measures should be introduced—because Google has complied,” Shadayev said.
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The FAS had earlier sent a formal request to Apple to introduce the feature, with the company expected to respond by October 31, 2025.
Separately, recent reports have also pointed to irregular flows of Apple products into Russia despite restrictions. Unreleased iPad Pro devices equipped with Apple’s new M5 processor appeared in videos by Russian tech bloggers before their official launch. The tablets were reportedly taken from Apple’s European warehouses and brought into Russia through unofficial channels.
The devices were showcased online ahead of any official announcement, with footage revealing packaging details and performance benchmarks. The report noted that the tablets were fully functional retail units, running iPadOS 26 and manufactured as recently as August 2025.
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