Telegram CEO Pavel Durov to Apple: Not cool that in Russia, you have banned several ...

Apple reportedly delisted several proxy and VPN clients from its Russian App Store including Streisand, V2Box, v2RayTun, and Happ Proxy Utility. According to a report by Techradar, all these apps enabled users to configure private servers and bypass restrictions.

The removals come just days after Russia intensified its crackdown on Telegram, the country’s most popular messaging app, which has faced severe connectivity issues in recent weeks. After this report or Apple removing some custom VPN apps from Russian App Store surfaced online, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov condemned the moved of the Cupertino-based tech giant. Durov took to social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to condemn compliance of Apple with Russian censorship demands.

“Apple just banned several VPN apps from the Russian App Store — targeting those that helped users bypass Russia’s DPI-based censorship.

That’s not cool, Apple,” wrote Durov in a post on X.

Impact of ban on users

The removal affects users in two ways:* Existing users can continue using the VPN apps but will no longer receive updates, including critical security patches.* New users cannot download these apps at all, leaving fewer options to bypass restrictions.

* Meanwhile, the same VPN apps remain available on Google Play, underscoring a divergence in platform policies.Russia has intensified efforts to block VPNs since passing a 2024 law criminalizing the spread of information on bypassing internet restrictions. Authorities have also developed more advanced tools to detect and block VPN traffic, making it harder for citizens to access Telegram and other restricted services. Apple has previously defended similar removals in China, saying it is “obligated to follow the laws in the country where we operate, even when we disagree.

”