VK has filed a lawsuit against U.S. technology company Apple at an arbitration court in Moscow after its apps were removed from the App Store. The lawsuit includes demands to restore access to apps belonging to the Russian company's platforms and address the consequences of the sanctions-related removal decision.
Apple removed VK's apps from the App Store at the start of summer and said the decision was made to comply with international sanctions. The European Union's sanctions against VK were announced approximately one month after Apple's decision.
VK's demands from Apple
VK asked the court to order Apple to upload the apps to the App Store again. The company also requested that users regain access to push notifications and that a daily penalty be imposed if Apple fails to comply with the court's ruling.
The Russian technology company argued that the apps were removed unilaterally and without prior notice. VK's requested daily compensation until the decision is implemented was set at 58 million rubles, approximately $700,000.
EU sanctions and the Google Play decision
Last month, the European Union sanctioned VK over its role in developing Max, a Kremlin-backed messaging app. Critics allege that Max was created for large-scale surveillance and censorship.
VK's apps and the Max app were also removed from the Google Play Store.