Google plans to exempt sanctioned nations from Android developer verification

I’m checking if my VPN has exit nodes in Iran, Cuba, Russia, Belarus, etc

How would that help you?

The article says, "unverified apps will only be easily installable in the sanctioned countries where verification doesn’t exist."

So even if you used a VPN to trick Google into thinking you live in a sanctioned country, you wouldn't be able to distribute apps to those countries without breaking sanctions.

I don’t want to distribute apps, I just want to be able to install whatever I want on the hardware I own.

I feel the same way, but can you explain how a VPN would help achieve that in the face of Google’s proposed developer verification scheme?