Apple 'doesn't give a damn,' marks Crimea as part of Russia on Apple Maps

Apple's Maps and Weather apps, when accessed in Russia, now mark the disputed peninsula of Crimea as Russian territory — a move that has upset Ukrainian officials and defied international consensus.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Russia's parliament announced it had met with an Apple official who advised the "inaccuracy" in their apps regarding how Crimea was marked had been "finally removed."

"[Committee on Security and Corruption Control head] Vasilii Piskarev noted that Apple fulfilled its obligations and brought the applications on its devices in compliance with the requirements of the Russian legislation," said the statement.

The BBC confirmed that iPhones in Moscow using Apple's Russian App Store now mark Crimea as part of Russia, though Apple apps outside Russia don't assign Crimea a country.

Apple's alteration of its map is a significant concession to Russia, and a kick in the teeth to Ukraine.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Russian soldiers invaded the peninsula early that year, forcibly seizing control of government buildings and installing new officials.

A referendum was then called asking whether Crimea should join Russia or reinstate the 1992 Crimean constitution, which granted Crimea more autonomy from Ukraine. No option was given for Crimea to remain as it had been.

This referendum was considered illegal and illegitimate by the majority of the international community, who condemned Russia's actions and don't recognise its claim of sovereignty over Crimea. Russia was suspended from the G8 as a result of the annexation, and various sanctions were imposed against it.

Apple's decision to seemingly legitimise Russia's claim to Crimea has been poorly received by Ukraine. The country's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vadym Prystaiko expressed his displeasure on Twitter, telling the company to "stick to high-tech and entertainment. Global politics is not your strong side."

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"Let me explain in your terms, @Apple," wrote Prystaiko. "Imagine you're crying out that your design & ideas, years of work & piece of your heart are stolen by your worst enemy but then smb ignorant doesn't give a damn about your pain. That's how it feels when you call #Crimea a [Russian] land."

The Ukrainian embassy in the U.S. also responded, tweeting: "We guess Ukrainians not giving any thanks to @Apple this #Thanksgiving! So let’s all remind Apple that #CrimeaIsUkraine and it is under Russian occupation - not its sovereignty."

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This isn't the first time Apple has bowed to pressure from foreign governments. Earlier this year, Apple's App Store removed a mapping app that tracked the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. The Taiwanese flag emoji was also removed from iOS in Hong Kong and Macau, and has been unavailable in China for some time.

Though we many of us only think about them insofar as they help us navigate, the lines on a map can have huge political implications. It's been five years since Russia annexed Ukraine, but the dispute over the peninsula is unlikely to cease any time soon.