BBC News: ‘Apple Changes Crimea Map to Meet Russian Demands’

BBC News:

Apple has complied with Russian demands to show the annexed Crimean peninsula as part of Russian territory on its apps.

Russian forces annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March 2014, drawing international condemnation. The region, which has a Russian-speaking majority, is now shown as Russian territory on Apple Maps and its Weather app, when viewed from Russia.

But the apps do not show it as part of any country when viewed elsewhere.

Garry Kasparov:

Apple changing its maps inside Russia to make Crimea part of Russia is a huge scandal. Regionalization of facts is unacceptable appeasement.

“Regionalization of facts” indeed. Apple can argue honestly that they’re complying with Russian law by showing Crimea as part of Russia to Russian users. But complying with this implicitly means capitulating to Russian propaganda. It is not a matter of debate whether Russia annexed Crimea illegally. It is a fact.

★ Friday, 29 November 2019