Apple has removed a VPN app from the Russian App Store

At the request of Roskomnadzor, the American corporation Apple removed the Incy VPN client—used to connect to VPN servers—from the Russian section of the App Store. This was reported by the app’s developers, who received an official notification from the company on the night of October 27. 

The app served as an alternative to the previously blocked Happ service. The service remains available in other regional App Store catalogs.

Apple’s notice states that the removal was carried out in accordance with Roskomnadzor’s requirements and the provisions of Article 15.1 of the Russian Federation’s Law “On Information, Information Technologies, and Information Protection,” which regulates the blocking of resources containing prohibited content. The developers at Incy have reported that they are looking for ways to restore access to the service for users in the Russian Federation.

Source: Statement from Incy’s developers.

Previously, Apple complied with the demands of Russian regulatory authorities and transferred databases containing information about Russian users to Russia, where Roskomnadzor gained access to them.

From July through September 2024, Apple removed 60 VPN apps from the Russian App Store, bringing the total number of unavailable apps designed to bypass blocks to 98.