Trouble with App Store on Beeline mobile sim

Hey guys! I'm having this problem. Apps won't update or download from my App Store without a VPN. I live in Russia and use Beeline. The problem isn't with my SIM card. A friend with the same provider has the same issue. The only thing we've figured out is that the issue is with iOS 18, as I have an iPhone 12 mini running iOS 18, and he has an iPhone SE running iOS 18. When I click update/download, the app just hangs. Switching to Wi-Fi or enabling a VPN immediately downloads the app. What are some possible solutions without updating to iOS 26?