Apple cuts all ties to Crimea to comply with US sanctions

Tensions between Russia and the U.S. over Crimea are spilling into the world of tech: developers are reporting that Apple is sending out notices of termination to people whose accounts are registered in Crimea, citing sanctions that the U.S. has ordered against the region as a response to Russia annexing it earlier in 2014. This means the developers cannot create nor publish apps in Apple’s App Store. The move follows Valve apparently also terminating access to its Steam games distribution platform in Crimea, too. Apple’s note, which has been reproduced in more than one place online (including here, on Russian-language tech site Habrahabr and here), says that the termination is effective immediately and requires the developers to cease all use of Apple software and destroy related materials. It’s also blocked their access to its developer portal.