Following Apple Ireland getting fined for paying out to Russian app developers, the company has also ceased all payment processing for the country, meaning users are cut off from buying new apps, or continuing to subscribe to Apple Music.

Arguably, if a user in Russia subscribes to a Russian developer's app, that's between them. But since Apple hosts such apps and takes a cut before passing earnings on to the developer, this means Apple is dealing with Russian businesses.

There's a sufficiently grey area here that Apple Ireland — which is responsible for all non-US Apple business — told regulators about it. And those regulators decided "on the balance of probability" that Apple had broken sanctions.

Now Apple has announced that "payment processing is no longer available for purchases made on the App Store or other Apple Media Services in Russia."

According to Russian business station Radio RBC, the move follows orders by Maksut Shadaev, minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. Russia is closing a loophole that meant users could top up their Apple Account balance via cellphone accounts such as T2 Mobile, or Russia's MegaFon.

Four cellphone firms were ordered to disable this option, and so prevent users circumventing the existing ban on using credit cards for App Store and services purchases. An unspecified source within one of the cellphone companies reportedly says this is specifically to prevent Russians buying VPNs.

Consequently, unless users have funds in their Apple Account balance already, they will not be able to make any new in-app purchases. They will also not be able to pay for subscription renewals.

And, it's impossible to add money to an Apple Account in Russia.

So any current subscription app will continue working until the end of the billing period or the end of an Apple Account balance, but no further. As well as apps from the App Store, this applies to services ranging from Apple TV and Apple Fitness+, to Apple Music and the Apple One bundle.

Apple says that if a subscription ends, then because Apple cannot bill for the renewal, "you might love access to that subscription content."

That seems like Apple being intentionally circumspect, but it does then offer an explanation for how subscription content may remain available. Specifically with its own iCloud+ service, Apple says that "data will remain available after your subscription ends."

So presumably it's up to the developer whether they shut off access after the end of a subscription. But that presumably involves them continuing to be active App Store developers, which then means them paying Apple the annual fee.

Separately, AppleInsider recommends regularly auditing your App Store and other subscriptions to avoid continuing to pay for anything you're no longer using.

Updated: 08:40 A.M. Eastern with detail of Russia ordering cellphone operators to block payments.