Apple removes Ad Guard’s Trust Tunnel from Russian App Store amid censorship push | Tech Radar
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Apple removes Ad Guard’s Trust Tunnel from Russian App Store amid censorship push
The Trust Tunnel app lacks built-in bypass features, but was still targeted by regulators
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Apple removes Ad Guard’s Trust Tunnel client from Russia’s App Store
The open-source tool doesn’t have built-in circumvention capabilities
Russia expands its crackdown while Google resists similar takedowns
Ad Guard’s open-source VPN client, Trust Tunnel, has been removed from the Russian version of Apple's App Store.
The app, which was taken down from the Russian App Store this week, is developed by Ad Guard and serves as a client application that allows users to connect to VPN servers. However, it doesn’t provide built-in circumvention capabilities on its own.
As reported by the provider, Russian authorities successfully requested its removal as part of their broader effort to limit access to tools — including the best VPN services — that can help residents get around internet restrictions.
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This follows a pattern of Apple removing VPN apps from its Russian storefront. In 2024 alone, the tech giant delisted at least 60 VPN apps, targeting several well-known providers.
In contrast, Google has so far mostly resisted similar requests, leaving Android users with more options for the time being. Yet, pressure on all platforms continues to grow as Russia's government tightens its controls over internet access.
The removal of Trust Tunnel: Why a simple client was banned
The removal of Trust Tunnel marks a shift in how authorities target internet infrastructure.
On April 28, 2026, Ad Guard claimed to have received an email from Apple notifying them that the app would be removed because it "includes content that is illegal in Russia." The notice cited a complaint from Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal media regulator, reminding developers of their responsibility to comply with local laws.
This isn’t Ad Guard’s first encounter with Russian censorship. Their main Ad Guard VPN app was one of dozens of VPN apps removed from the Russian App Store in July 2024.
Notably, Ad Guard clarified that Trust Tunnel is strictly a "client application." It contains no servers and offers no built-in bypass capabilities. Users must manually configure it with external server details. Despite this neutrality, regulators viewed the streamlined interface as a tool that lowers the barrier to entry for bypassing state filters.
The app’s delisting leaves i OS users in Russia without a key open-source option for managing VPN connections. This, after killing multiple proxy tools and VPN clients that allow users to connect to their own private servers or proxy configurations, back in March.
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These incidents highlight a broader strategy: authorities are now targeting the tools that enable connections, not just the full-featured VPN services themselves. Even "neutral" software is being swept up, shrinking the number of privacy tools available to ordinary users.
Beyond individual app takedowns, Russia’s government is moving to tighten control over how its citizens access the internet.
Reports suggest authorities are considering a “whitelist” of approved VPNs, which would legalize only state-sanctioned services while criminalizing others. This plan aims to balance business needs with state control but faces delays due to technical hurdles.
Additionally, proposals to tax VPN traffic have emerged, potentially making privacy tools prohibitively expensive for ordinary people.
Surveillance risks are also escalating. Digital rights groups warn that major Russian apps are increasingly capable of detecting VPN usage, allowing entities to identify and target users attempting to hide their activity.
As the government narrows legal avenues for secure connections, the window for open internet access in Russia continues to close.
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Mark is a Tech Security Writer for Tech Radar and has been published on Comparitech and IGN. He graduated with a degree in English and Journalism from the University of Lincoln and spent several years teaching English as a foreign language in Spain. The Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal sparked Mark’s interest in online privacy, leading him to write hundreds of articles on VPNs, antivirus software, password managers, and other cybersecurity topics. He recently completed the Google Cybersecurity Certificate, and when he's not studying for the Comp TIA Security+ exam, Mark can be found agonizing over his fantasy football team selections, watching the Detroit Lions, and battling bugs and bots in Helldivers 2.
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