Moscow

A Russian court on Thursday fined Apple and the host of Wikipedia for failing to remove content deemed to be false information about Russia’s military actions in Ukraine. A peace judge in the magistrate’s court, which handles administrative violations and low-level criminal cases, fined the Wikimedia Foundation 3 million rubles (USD 33,000) for maintaining content on Russian-language Wikipedia pages that accused Russia’s military. had violated the law against defamation and spreading false information about the Ukraine conflict, the Interfax news agency reported.

The same judge found Apple guilty of failing to remove podcasts and apps containing such information and fined the company 400,000 rubles (UAD 4,400). Since sending troops into Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has taken several measures to punish any criticism or questioning of the military operation. Some critics have been severely punished. Opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced this year to 25 years in prison for treason over speeches against Russia’s actions in Ukraine.