Russia fines Apple US $4,400 for ‘false information’ about Ukraine fighting

MOSCOW –

A Russian court imposed a 400,000-ruble ($4,400) fine on technology company Apple for failing to remove material deemed to be “false information” about Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.

A justice of the peace in a magistrate’s court, which handles administrative violations and low-level criminal cases, found Apple guilty of failing to delete podcasts and apps that spread false information about the conflict, Russian news agency Interfax reported.

Since sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has enacted an array of measures to punish any criticism or questioning of the military campaign.

Some critics have received severe punishments. Opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced this year to 25 years in prison for treason stemming from speeches he made against Russia’s actions in Ukraine.