Apple Suspends All Product Sales In Russia Following Invasion Of Ukraine
CUPERTINO (CBS SF) – Apple announced Tuesday that it has paused sales of iPhones, MacBooks and other products in Russia, along with restrictions to some services there, following the country's invasion of Ukraine.
According to a statement obtained by KPIX 5, the Cupertino-based company stopped all exports into the country last week and has since paused all product sales in Russia. The company has also limited Apple Pay and other services in the country.
"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," a company spokesperson said. "We are supporting humanitarian efforts, providing aid for the unfolding refugee crisis, and doing all we can to support our teams in the region."
Tech analysts said it's a big step for Apple.
"They've come down fairly strongly against Russia in halting sales and cutting off certain services and certain parts of the App Store for folks in Russia. That's a big, big deal," Roger Cheng of CNET told KPIX 5.
Changes have also come to the App Store, with the company restricting downloads of Kremlin-backed RT News and Sputnik News apps to Russia only.
In Ukraine meanwhile, Apple has implemented changes to Apple Maps by disabling live traffic conditions and incidents in the country, calling it a "safety and precautionary measure" for Ukrainian citizens.
"We will continue to evaluate the situation and are in communication with relevant governments on the actions we are taking. We join all those around the world who are calling for peace," the company went on to say.
Apple's decision comes as tech companies face increasing pressure to act against Russia. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have all begun cracking down on content created by Russian media to guard against the spread of pro-Russian propaganda.
Len Ramirez contributed to this report.