Apple, Google remove opposition app as Russian voting begins

By DARIA LITVINOVA and KELVIN CHAN
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Facing pressure from the Kremlin, Apple and Google removed an opposition-created smartphone app that tells voters which candidates are likely to defeat those backed by Russian authorities. The move comes as three days of voting began in Russia’s parliamentary election. The Russian authorities are seeking to suppress the use of Smart Voting, a strategy designed by imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The authorities have told Apple and Google to remove the Smart Voting app from their online stores, saying the failure to do so would be interpreted as interference in the election and make the tech giants subject to fines.