The number of failed connections to Apple's App Store and official website in Russia has sharply increased, according to data from the international research project OONI, as reported by the outlet Verstka and The Moscow Times.
According to OONI data, the share of anomalous and failed connections to the App Store began rising on July 18 and reached 39% by July 19. For comparison, this year the figure had not exceeded 14–16% before that date.
Accessibility of Apple's website fell even more sharply: since July 17, the share of anomalous connections has remained at 66–68%, whereas earlier this year it had not exceeded 10.2%. OONI did not record a similar trend in the United States, the United Kingdom, or Germany.
Data from the outage monitoring service Sboyd.rf confirmed a rise in user complaints: on July 19, the number of reports increased more than 30-fold compared to average levels, reaching nearly 400 per day. In the first half of July 20, over 250 more complaints were filed. Problems were recorded in various regions of Russia.
Such a surge in failed connections may indicate partial access restrictions by Russian authorities, Verstka wrote. According to OONI, accessibility of the already-blocked Telegram and WhatsApp in Russia is currently reduced by 90% and 84%, respectively.
In mid-July, Apple's website had already temporarily become inaccessible to some users without a VPN. At the time, IT experts, including Mikhail Klimarev, head of the Internet Protection Society, suggested that authorities might be testing a block on Apple and Google resources, The Moscow Times reported.
On July 14, the press service of Russia's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor told Interfax that it was not restricting access to Apple and Google services. In early June, Apple removed the Russian messenger Max and other apps from VK holding from the App Store, citing the need to comply with international sanctions. Several weeks later, Google also removed VK apps from its store.