Google Play has stopped showing apps of Russian marketplace Ozon, including the main app, Ozon Fresh, Ozon Seller, Ozon Job, and Ozon Travel. They are no longer accessible via direct links or keyword search.
The company's press service confirmed the removal and told TASS that it had not violated Google Play's rules. Ozon advised Android users to download the apps from RuStore, AppGallery, and Galaxy Store. Already installed apps continue to work as before, the company said. The apps remain available in the App Store.
Two days earlier, on August 12, the Ozon Bank app, which is subject to EU sanctions, disappeared from Google Play. The service's page showed an error message, and the bank's website removed the download button for the Google catalog. Users were advised not to delete the already installed app.
On August 6, the UK imposed sanctions on Ozon Bank, and the 21st EU sanctions package, adopted in July, targeted banks of Russian marketplaces. European measures took effect on August 13 — the next day, the marketplace's apps vanished from Google's catalog.
Earlier, other Russian services were removed from app stores under the same pattern. On August 12, the App Store removed the app of the payment system Yandex Pay, which operates through the sanctioned Yandex Bank. In late June, Dzen, VK Video, VK Messenger, VK Music, VK Dating, Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, Mail.ru, Skillbox, and the Max messenger disappeared from the App Store. Apple explained this as necessary to comply with sanctions requirements; Google has not publicly commented on the reasons. Meanwhile, the App Store still has Ozon and Ozon Bank apps available, and Yandex Pay has not been removed from Google Play.