Ukraine Vice PM asks Tim Cook to block Apple products, services for Russian users
Ukraine Vice Prime Miner Mykhailo Fedorov wrote an open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook on Friday asking the Apple CEO to stop supplying products and services to Russian users after the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The letter, which can also be seen on Fedorov’s Twitter, appeals Cook to “stop supplying Apple services and products to the Russian Federation.” Fedorov also asks Apple to clock access to the App Store.
“We are sure that such actions will motivate youth and active population of Russia to proactively stop the disgraceful military aggression,” Fedorov adds. Check out the tweet below.
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. pic.twitter.com/b5dm78g2vS
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) February 25, 2022
Earlier this week on Thursday, the White House had issued a number of sanctions as a response to Russia’s invasion, as per a report The Verge. These included measures that prevent Apple and other US companies from providing services to the Russian military or minry of defence.
Fedorov’s new measures in the letter, however, ask the company to discontinue its services for the entire country of Russia, not just the Russian military.
The United States, Britain, Canada and European Union, have slapped sanctions on Putin and his foreign miner Sergey Lavrov, and held them “directly responsible” for Moscow’s “unprovoked and unlawful” invasion of Ukraine. The EU unanimously agreed to freeze their assets.
Russia-Ukraine conflict so far
Over 50,000 Russian troops have invaded Russia so far and have taken control of Chernol, and regions including Kyiv continue to face aggression. Over 50,000 Ukrainian citizens have reportedly fled the country in the last two days, while about 1,00,000 are believed to be internally displaced.
While there is no official confirmation on the toll due to the conflict, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said 137 Ukrainians have died. The Ukraine military claims it has killed over 1,000 Russian troops. The Russian military hasn’t reported casualties.
