Russia's Navalny criticises Apple, Google over app removal, social media posts say

FILE PHOTO: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen on a screen via a video link during a hearing to consider his lawsuits against the penal colony over detention conditions there, at the Petushki district court in Petushki, Russia May 26, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said Google and Apple showed "cowardice" and acted as accomplices of Russian President Vladimir Putin by removing a voting app before this month's election, according to his social media accounts.

Navalny's supporters earlier accused the U.S. tech giants of caving in to Kremlin pressure by removing the anti-government tactical voting app from their stores at the start of three days of parliamentary voting, which ended on Sunday.