Ukraine Vice Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has pleaded with Apple to stop services and product supplies to Russian users. In an open letter to the US tech giant posted on his official Twitter handle, Fedorov urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to take action against Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
In the letter published through Twitter, Fedorov wrote: “I appeal to you to stop supplying Apple services and products to the Russian Federation, including blocking access to App Store!”
“We are sure that such actions will motivate youth and active population of Russia to proactively stop the disgraceful military aggression.”
In the caption accompanying the letter, the Ukrainian politician wrote: “I’ve contacted @tim_cook, Apple’s CEO, to block the Apple Store for citizens of the Russian Federation, and to support the package of US government sanctions!”
“If you agree to have the president-killer, then you will have to be satisfied with the only available site Russia 24.”
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Russia 24 is a state-controlled Russian television channel, which has been banned in Ukraine.
Estimates from the Pentagon say over 50,000 Russian troops have entered Ukraine, while satellite images with fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces now reaching the streets of the capital of Kyiv. Russian forces have already captured Chernobyl, the site of the deadliest nuclear disaster in the world, on Thursday, sparking concern about the management of radioactive materials. The fighting has already seen thousands of Ukrainians flee their homes, the United Nations estimates.
The European Union, the United Kingdom, and the US have already imposed wide-reaching sanctions on several top Russian officials, including those close to President Vladimir Putin. On Thursday, the White House announced a broad package of sanctions in response to the Russian invasion, announcing measures that stop Apple and other US tech companies from providing services to the Russian Ministry of Defence or the military.
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Fedorov’s request, however, goes further and calls on the company to discontinue services to the entire country.
