{"id":1862516,"date":"2026-04-02T16:32:28","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1862516"},"modified":"2026-04-02T16:32:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T13:32:28","slug":"russia-closes-loophole-to-fully-block-payments-for-apple-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1862516","title":{"rendered":"Russia closes loophole to fully block payments for Apple services"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/xJPVeiat95jbhO9qPPN0Jg&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MTU-\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-04\/ad4347c3-2852-43f3-b561-16f4abc0057e&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"article-0c65b2ae-b382-42a0-912d-b64681093f66\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"mx-auto md:max-w-[1220px] md:px-10\">\n<nav class=\"prestige-breadcrumb relative mx-4 md:mx-0\" aria-label=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<ol class=\"no-scrollbar overflow-scroll whitespace-nowrap text-battleship\">\n<li class=\"inline\">\n<li class=\"inline-block cursor-default last:pr-10 md:last:pr-20 font-bold\">Big tech<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<header class=\"mb-4 px-4 md:mb-6 md:px-0\">\n<h1 class=\"layout-h1 my-2 font-bold leading-tight\">Russia closes loophole to fully block payments for Apple services<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"my-2 text-[18px] font-light leading-5 md:max-w-[660px] md:text-[20px]\/[28px]\">The Kremlin has been targeting VPNs as part of a broader crackdown on online speech.<\/h2>\n<div class=\"flex-col items-start lg:flex lg:flex-row lg:items-center lg:justify-between mt-6\">\n<div class=\"relative md:mr-[10px]\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex mr-2\">\n<div class=\"shrink-0 cursor-pointer inline-block size-[42px] lg:size-[48px]\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt role=\"img\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full rounded-full object-cover object-center shadow-[0_0_0_2px_#ffffff]\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/HVLHsm6NoIRupYAscgAX1g--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTgwO2g9ODA-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2025-07\/cd49bb30-6802-11f0-9fbf-d9d20eb98294\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"inline-block\">\n<div class=\"w-max text-sm\/5 font-semibold flex items-center\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col\">\n<div class=\"flex w-max items-center\">Will Shanklin<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"font-normal sm:before:inline-block\">Contributing Reporter<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"lg:hidden\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-02T16:32:28.000Z\">Thu, April 2, 2026 at 4:32 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ml-0 mt-4 flex items-center lg:ml-3 lg:mt-0\">\n<div class=\"ml-0 mr-2\">\n<div class=\"relative flex\">Add Engadget on Google<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden lg:block\">\n<div class=\"text-xs text-dolphin dark:text-shark md:text-sm\/5 pt-4\">\n<div class=\"inline-block\"><time datetime=\"2026-04-02T16:32:28.000Z\">Thu, April 2, 2026 at 4:32 PM UTC<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-1 gap-x-8 lg:gap-x-0 mx-auto md:px-10 md:max-w-[1220px] md:grid-cols-[[main-start]_1fr_[main-end_right-start]_min-content_[right-end]] lg:!gap-x-8\">\n<div class=\"md:col-main\" data-i13n-boundary=\"true\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-[[fullbleed-start_body-start]_minmax(auto,750px)_[body-end_fullbleed-end]]\">\n<figure class=\"relative col-body mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative overflow-hidden fig-image-round left-1\/2 w-screen -translate-x-1\/2 md:left-0 md:w-auto md:translate-x-0\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt class=\"object-cover object-center\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/2JB31.TbqSOYuQlE5qYAlQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04NDQ-\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/wNwWq7cAWlwoaS7cj6D3NA--~B\/aD00MDAyO3c9NTg4OTthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-04\/ad4347c3-2852-43f3-b561-16f4abc0057e\"><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-[0.875rem]\/[1.25rem] figure-caption mt-1 line-clamp-2 mt-2.5 md:mt-2 pr-2.5\">\n<div><span>Contributor via Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Russia has closed a loophole that allowed its citizens to pay for Apple digital services. &#8220;As of April 1, 2026, payment processing is no longer available for purchases made on the App Store or other Apple Media Services in Russia,&#8221; the company wrote in a support document (via <em>9to5Mac<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The change affects all Apple services. However, the company says iCloud+ subscribers&#8217; data will remain available after their subscriptions end, even after losing premium cloud storage. Customers&#8217; previous purchases will still be accessible, as will existing Apple Account funds until they run out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Why is Russia doing this? Well, the (state-aligned) Russian news outlet <em>RBC<\/em> reported that government officials said it was to prevent users from paying for VPN apps. Earlier this week, <em>Reuters<\/em> reported that the country has stepped up its attack on the services as part of its &#8220;great crackdown&#8221; on online information and speech. By mid-January, it had reportedly blocked 70 percent more VPN apps than late last year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_cd97b4ilfeiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_kd97b4ilfeiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">With Russia&#8217;s war with Ukraine now in its fifth year, Putin&#8217;s regime apparently wants to shore up domestic support the way autocrats do: by limiting access to information. (VPNs allow Russians to circumvent the country&#8217;s strict online censorship.) The country\u2019s crackdown has also included blocking WhatsApp, slowing down Telegram and repeatedly jamming mobile internet in Moscow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px]\">\n<div class=\"commerce col-body\" data-pw=\"disclosure\">\n<div class=\"mb-7 flex items-center rounded-lg p-3 p-5 w-fit flex-col md:flex-row\">\n<p class=\"text-[12px] text-battleship dark:text-gandalf md:text-[13px]\">If you buy something through a link in this article, we may earn commission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"hidden flex-none md:block col-right\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full flex-col flex-nowrap\">\n<div class=\"flex-auto\">\n<div class=\"sticky flex flex-none\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_1pp7b4ilfeiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"md:col-main grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px]\">\n<div class=\"no-scrollbar col-body mx-4 mb-8 mt-2.5 overflow-x-scroll whitespace-nowrap md:mx-0 md:max-w-[750px] md:overflow-x-visible\">\n<div class=\"mx-auto max-w-screen-sm\">\n<ul class=\"inline-flex text-xs md:text-sm\">\n<li class=\"mr-6\">About our ads<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"grid grid-cols-article-mobile md:grid-cols-article lg:max-w-[750px] drop-cap\" data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Russia has closed a loophole that allowed its citizens to pay for Apple digital services. &#8220;As of April 1, 2026, payment processing is no longer available for purchases made on the App Store or other Apple Media Services in Russia,&#8221; the company wrote in a support document (via <em>9to5Mac<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">The change affects all Apple services. However, the company says iCloud+ subscribers&#8217; data will remain available after their subscriptions end, even after losing premium cloud storage. Customers&#8217; previous purchases will still be accessible, as will existing Apple Account funds until they run out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">Why is Russia doing this? Well, the (state-aligned) Russian news outlet <em>RBC<\/em> reported that government officials said it was to prevent users from paying for VPN apps. Earlier this week, <em>Reuters<\/em> reported that the country has stepped up its attack on the services as part of its &#8220;great crackdown&#8221; on online information and speech. By mid-January, it had reportedly blocked 70 percent more VPN apps than late last year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-fullbleed mb-4 bg-marshmallow pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:invisible md:mb-0 md:h-0 md:overflow-hidden md:pb-0\">\n<div class=\"py-2 text-center text-xs uppercase\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_cd97b4ilfeiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-body mb-4 hidden pb-5 dark:bg-ramones md:block\">\n<div class=\"flex w-full flex-nowrap justify-center\">\n<div class=\"flex\" id=\"_R_kd97b4ilfeiv5tilbH1_\">\n<div class=\"flex size-full items-center justify-center bg-marshmallow text-center leading-3\">Advertisement<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"col-body mb-4 leading-7 text-[18px] md:leading-8 break-words min-w-0 charcoal-color\">With Russia&#8217;s war with Ukraine now in its fifth year, Putin&#8217;s regime apparently wants to shore up domestic support the way autocrats do: by limiting access to information. (VPNs allow Russians to circumvent the country&#8217;s strict online censorship.) The country\u2019s crackdown has also included blocking WhatsApp, slowing down Telegram and repeatedly jamming mobile internet in Moscow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.engadget.com\/big-tech\/russia-closes-loophole-to-fully-block-payments-for-apple-services-163228262.html&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/xJPVeiat95jbhO9qPPN0Jg&#8211;\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MTU-\/https:\/\/d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net\/images\/2026-04\/ad4347c3-2852-43f3-b561-16f4abc0057e&#8221;] Big tech Russia closes loophole to fully block payments for Apple services The Kremlin has been targeting VPNs as part of a broader crackdown on online speech. Will Shanklin Contributing Reporter Thu, April 2, 2026 at 4:32 PM UTC Add Engadget on Google Thu, April 2, 2026 at 4:32 PM UTC Contributor [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,63],"class_list":["post-1862516","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-engadget-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1862516","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1862516"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1862516\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1862516"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1862516"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1862516"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}