Apple 'doesn't give a damn' that Russia stole Ukraine's heart

• Apple Maps and Weather apps on iPhones in Russia now show Crimea as a part of Russian territory.
• Ukraine’s foreign minister, Vadym Prystaiko, reacted with a tweet saying Apple ‘doesn’t give a damn’ that Ukraine’s heart was stolen.
• According to the Russian government, Apple was only fulfilling its ‘obligations’.

Apple is in the midst of a new controversy after mapping the region East European peninsula of Crimea as a part of Russia on its Maps and Weather apps — and Ukraine’s not happy about it.

It may have bought it goodwill with Russia but the action has gotten strong disapproval from the Ukrainian government.

The country’s foreign minister, Vadym Prystaiko, tweeted that it was as though Apple ‘didn’t give a damn’ that Ukraine had its heart stolen by Russia.


The Ukrainian embassy in the US also tweeted its displeasure stating that they wouldn’t be giving Apple any ‘thanks’ this Thanksgiving.



The Russian government claims that it was an Apple representative that pointed out the “inaccuracy in displaying the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol”. In correcting that mistake, Apple was only fulfilling its “obligations”.



The fight over Crimea

The region of Crimea has been disputed territory between the two nations since 2014 when Russian troops invaded the peninsula. The act was condemned internationally.

Russia then called for a referendum to decide whether Crimea should be reintegrated into Russia — since the majority of its population speaks Russian — or whether the Crimean constitution of 1992 should be reinstated, which gives the region more autonomy from Ukraine.

The international community cried foul yet again pointing out that the referendum was illegal and illegitimate.

As a result of these incursions, Russia was ousted from the G8 and many countries imposed sanctions as a way to retaliate.

The BBC has pointed out that only iPhones in Russia that display the map modification. iPhones in the rest of the world don’t assign Crimea a country.

See also:
Facebook's ex-security boss Alex Stamos slams Apple as 'shameful' for changing its maps to suit a demand from the Russian government