Apple has announced that as of April 1 it is no longer offering payment processing for purchases made in the App Store or for other Apple services in Russia.
In a new support document, Apple said:
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. This might affect your existing subscriptions.
New purchases, including in-app purchases and subscription renewals, are no longer available in Russia unless you have funds in your Apple Account balance.
This change affects the following services and items:
- Apple Arcade
- Apple Fitness+
- Apple Music
- Apple Podcasts subscriptions
- Apple One
- App Store purchases and subscriptions
- Apple TV purchases and subscriptions
- iTunes Store purchases
- iCloud+
- Ringtone & Tone purchases
What happens to your previous purchases and subscriptions
Apps and content that you previously bought will remain available to you. You might be able to update apps that you already own.
If you have existing subscriptions
If you have a subscription and Apple can’t bill you, your subscription will end. You might lose access to that subscription content.
If you have an iCloud+ subscription
Your data will remain accessible after your subscription ends. You can continue to manage your storage and download your iCloud photos and videos.
Apple reportedly took this action in response to an order from the Russian government.
The Ministry of Digital Development is considering temporary restrictions on payments for Apple services from mobile phone bills to force the company to return popular Russian services to the App Store, a government source told RIA Novosti.
“At a meeting with the Big Four on March 28, the agency discussed the possibility of temporarily suspending payments,” the agency’s source said.
