Russia orders Apple and Google to remove Important Stories, an investigative media app that works without a VPN — leaving Russians without a key source for accessing uncensored news

Important Stories launched the IStories mobile app in February to make sure information would reach Russians despite widespread censorship

• Apple and Google ordered to remove Important Stories' app in Russia
• Launched last February, the IStories app works in Russia without a VPN
• The request echoes similar removal orders targeting circumvention tools

A Russian investigative news outlet has just become the latest target of the country's censoring body, Roskomnadzor.

As reported directly by the targeted outlet — Important Stories (IStories) — on Wednesday, authorities have ordered both Apple and Google to remove the IStories mobile app from their official app stores in Russia.

Apple contacted the editorial team about Roskomnadzor's demands — to remove "information distributed in violation of the law." Failing to comply will lead to the app's removal. The notification directed to Google was found in the Lumen database.