Russia has become a world leader in deleting App Store apps
Apple has released its latest transparency report, which focuses on the company's approach to content moderation and government requests. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
The document reveals previously unrecorded restriction levels in the app store segment in Russia. According to the data, a total of 1,213 mobile applications were removed from the App Store platform in 2025 in response to demands from Russian government authorities.
This figure has positioned Russia as the global leader in absolute terms for app removals. Comparing the numbers shows a sharp increase in takedowns in Russia.
Specifically, the current figure is seven times higher than the 171 apps removed in 2024 and one hundred times higher than the 12 apps removed in 2023. Thus, Russia has significantly outpaced other countries in the extent of state control over digital content.
For comparison, during the same period, Vietnam saw 335 apps removed, China 196, and India only around 54 apps taken down from app stores. Apple Corporation has stated its official position on this matter.
The company's leadership emphasizes that its stance on content restriction remains unchanged. According to them, the tech giant removes mobile applications solely to comply with local legal requirements and based on substantiated, official requests from relevant government bodies.
Such measures are regarded as a practical step to ensure the company's operations in certain countries remain within legal boundaries. The reported figures clearly illustrate how the balance between state oversight and free usage in the digital world is evolving.
