(FreedomBeacon.com)- In response to Russian aggression in Ukraine, major American companies have announced that they will no longer be doing business with Russia – and one of those companies is Apple.
The tech giant, which sells computer hardware, tablets, cell phones, and software, has announced that sales of its products in Russia will be shut down entirely. The company also announced that it will restrict the mobile apps of Russian state news outlets Sputnik and Russia. Today.
While Apple doesn’t have any retail stores in Russia, many of its products do ship to the country through its official website and through a variety of third-party retail stores throughout Russia.
Beyond the sale of products, Apple has also blocked its Apple Pay service in the country, meaning iPhone users in Russia won’t be able to use their phones to pay for goods and services in stores. iPhone users in Russia will still be able to access Sputnik and Russia Today, but nobody outside of the country will be able to download the apps from the official Apple App Store.
Apple also joined Google in restricting the use of live traffic tracking on its maps software, meaning that people in Russia won’t be able to track Ukrainian troop movements using the software.
In terms of the actual conflict, the removal of this key feature on Google Maps and Apple Maps will actually make it harder for the Russian military to know what Ukrainian troops and civilians are doing. The blocking of the sale of computer hardware, however, is likely to put even further pressure on the Russian economy and give the Russian people yet another reason to take to the streets and demand Putin stop the invasion so their lives can return to normal.
The question is…does Putin care whether his people are suffering economic trouble and major disruptions to their lives?
