Apple stops imports, pauses sales of all products in Russia

Apple announced on Tuesday that it will pause all imports going into Russia, and pause the sale of iPhones and other products in the country as a result of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine last week.

In a statement, an Apple spokesperson said, “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,” an Apple spokesman said in a statement.

“We are supporting humanitarian efforts, providing aid for the unfolding refugee crisis, and doing all we can to support our teams in the region.”

In Russia, iPhones are the third most popular smartphone, behind Samsung and Xiaomi, according to IDC. In addition to pausing the largely online sale of their products, Apple has also restricted use of its Apple Pay system in Russia, and its Apple Maps in Ukraine. 

Apple stopped short of blocking Russian access to the App Store, as requested by Mykhailo Fedorov, the vice prime minister of Ukraine.