Apple eliminates Russian state media from US App Store
Apple has taken down the state-run Current Time TV network from its app store in Russia. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Apple has notified the US state-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that it will be removing the app for Current Time TV from its Russian online store, as announced by the network on Saturday.
The app's removal was due to “content that is illegal in Russia” and failure to meet verification standards, as stated by Current Time on its website, referencing a letter from Apple. The network also stated that Apple warned the app contained content from an organization banned in Russia.
Furthermore, the network mentioned that the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor had requested the removal of its apps, though the regulator itself has not made any comments on the situation.
Based in Prague, RFE/RL was established by the US government to disseminate anti-Soviet and pro-American propaganda during the Cold War, initially funded by the CIA. It remains state-funded and focuses primarily on producing content critical of the Russian government. RFE/RL, along with another US state-run media outlet, the Voice of America, launched Current Time in 2017 as a distinct Russian-language service.
In March 2022, Russia blocked access to RFE/RL, citing “the publication of materials that contain false information” regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. In February 2024, Moscow further blacklisted RFE/RL and all its subsidiaries, including Current Time.
The EU has enacted bans on several Russian media outlets since 2022, including RTN and Sputnik, accusing them of disseminating “disinformation.” In September 2024, the US placed sanctions on RT’s parent company, Rossiya Segodnya, along with five of its subsidiaries.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
The app's removal was due to “content that is illegal in Russia” and failure to meet verification standards, as stated by Current Time on its website, referencing a letter from Apple. The network also stated that Apple warned the app contained content from an organization banned in Russia.
Furthermore, the network mentioned that the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor had requested the removal of its apps, though the regulator itself has not made any comments on the situation.
Based in Prague, RFE/RL was established by the US government to disseminate anti-Soviet and pro-American propaganda during the Cold War, initially funded by the CIA. It remains state-funded and focuses primarily on producing content critical of the Russian government. RFE/RL, along with another US state-run media outlet, the Voice of America, launched Current Time in 2017 as a distinct Russian-language service.
In March 2022, Russia blocked access to RFE/RL, citing “the publication of materials that contain false information” regarding the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. In February 2024, Moscow further blacklisted RFE/RL and all its subsidiaries, including Current Time.
The EU has enacted bans on several Russian media outlets since 2022, including RTN and Sputnik, accusing them of disseminating “disinformation.” In September 2024, the US placed sanctions on RT’s parent company, Rossiya Segodnya, along with five of its subsidiaries.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
