Apple pulls the plug on all payments in Russia following government diktat

On Apr 1, 2026 Apple stopped all payment processing in Russia; purchases on the App Store and other Apple Media Services are no longer available there.

Residents of Russia can no longer buy apps or renew subscriptions, including Apple services such as iCloud+ and Apple TV.

Apple announced the change in a support document and provided guidance for users.

New purchases and renewals are possible only if funds exist in an Apple Account balance; existing App Store codes can be redeemed; as of Apr 1, 2026 Apple ID balance cannot be replenished from a mobile account after operators were instructed to disable that option.

The move appears to be in response to an order from the Ministry of Digital Affairs; Russian payment cards had already been blocked, and Apple says iCloud+ data will remain accessible after subscriptions end.