Apple has halted all payment transactions in Russia. This means that residents of the country can no longer purchase apps or renew subscriptions. This also includes subscriptions to Apple services such as iCloud+ and Apple TV.

This move can be seen as a precautionary measure following the company's accidental violation of sanctions against the country, although it is partly based on an instruction from the Russian government.

Apple announced this change in a new support document.

As of April 1, 2026, payment transactions for purchases made through the App Store or other Apple Media Services in Russia are no longer available. This may affect your existing subscriptions.

New purchases, in-app purchases, and subscription renewals are no longer available in Russia if there are no funds in your Apple Account balance […]

If you have funds in your Apple Account balance, you can continue to make purchases and renew subscriptions as long as the funds are available. You can also use any App Store codes you have.

The company specifically confirmed that this applies to all Apple subscriptions:

  • 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

Particularly, iCloud+ subscriptions may be concerning, as their inability to be renewed could deprive Apple customers of access to their data. However, the company states, "Access to your data will continue after the subscription expires."

However, it is unclear whether Russian customers will be able to continue adding data to their accounts. The company includes links for managing your storage and downloading iCloud photos and videos.

Apple Responds to a Government Order

The main motivation for the change seems to be a response to a new government order.

As of April 1, iPhone owners will not be able to top up their Apple ID balance from mobile accounts. The "Four" operators were instructed to disable this option, which became popular after the ban on Russian cards making payments for foreign services.

However, Apple's response goes beyond this, as the company has disabled all payment methods, indicating that it is acting cautiously following a recent penalty for violating sanctions against Russia. Russian payment cards had already been blocked, and some may be using foreign cards for Apple services.

The main motivation behind this action by the Russian government may be to block access to VPN applications used to circumvent internet censorship within the country.

  • Official Apple Store on Amazon
  • Apple's iPhone cases: iPhone 17 | iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max | iPhone Air
  • Wireless CarPlay adapter (2026 update)
  • AirTag holders and accessories
  • Mac Pro style Mac mini case
  • NordVPN – a privacy-focused VPN with no logs and verified by independent audits

Photo: Vardan Papikyan, Unsplash