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That would be seen as payment to a sanctioned entity, right? Just because you donated the award to charity doesn’t mean it isn’t considered a transaction on behalf of a sanctioned entity.

Makes total sense to me.

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If they money didn't flow through Kaspersky (the wording here of "Kaspersky" donating it vs Apple donating it is weird) and it was donated to a neutral charity (say, red cross or Médecins Sans Frontières), I don't think anyone would raise an eye on it.

I think you’re underestimating the risk - it’s clear (to me anyway) that you cannot move money around at the request of a sanctioned entity; even if the money doesn’t “flow through” them, influence, goodwill and connections do - all of which are reasonable attack vectors for the sanctioned entity (Russia).

Any potential downside far outweighs the upside. Apple does not want to get on the State Department’s shit list, period, and certainly not to do goodwill efforts for the Russians.

Is Kaspersky sanctioned?

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