Rutube application in App Store now available in Russia only

MOSCOW. Aug 17 (Interfax) - The Rutube video hosting service has decided that its iOS application will be available only to users in Russia after Apple demanded that the content of Russian state-run media outlets be removed from it.

"The decision has been made so that Russian-speaking users of the service, most of whom live in the Russian territory, could download the Rutube application on their iPhones. We want the users to watch, download and share videos on the national video hosting service from any device," Rutube said on Telegram.

Russian-speaking users in other countries will be able to watch the Rutube content in the web version, while users who have downloaded the application before may still be receiving updates, it said.

The Rutube press service told Interfax on Monday that Apple demanded to remove the content of Russian state-run media outlets from its iOS application within two weeks, while the video hosting service is not planning to do so.

Apple said that the problem must be solved in two weeks or else the application would be removed from the App Store, it said.

The video hosting service features Russian media outlets and bloggers blocked on YouTube.