Max
Apple Removes VK’s Apps from App Store in Russia, Citing Sanctions Compliance
The deletion meant to punish a Kremlin-linked company hands Moscow the exact wall it has spent years trying to build.
Putin Defends Russia Mobile Internet Blackouts as Security Move
Putin’s defense of internet blackouts confirms what Russians already suspected: the off switch belongs to the security services now.
The FSB Has a New Word for Encryption: Terrorism
The man who outlasted a French arrest now faces a Russian prison threat from the country he left behind two decades ago.
Russia Blocks WhatsApp Nationwide, Pushing 100 Million Users Toward Kremlin-Backed App Max
Russia’s 100 million WhatsApp users are being nudged toward Max, a Kremlin-friendly app that doesn’t offer end-to-end encryption.
Russia Restricts Telegram Access to Push Citizens Toward State-Controlled Max App, Pavel Durov Says
Durov’s defiance comes as Moscow tries the same playbook that failed in Iran, only this time with a homegrown WeChat waiting in the wings.
Russia Blocks Snapchat and FaceTime as Digital Crackdown Expands to Encrypted Apps and Foreign Platforms
Russia’s online world keeps shrinking as the government trades global access for tighter control at home.
Russia Threatens to Block WhatsApp as Government Promotes State-Run MAX App
A ban on WhatsApp would mark another step in Russia’s tightening grip on digital life.
Telegram Founder Pavel Durov Slams French Investigation, Warns of Global Crackdown on Privacy and Free Speech
In a defiant interview, Durov warns that Europe’s push for surveillance risks normalizing the very authoritarianism it claims to fight.
Russia Pilots State-Linked Digital ID Through Max App
A digital passport wrapped in a social feed, Max turns state surveillance into a lifestyle app.
Russia to Mandate Preinstallation of State Messaging App MAX and RuStore on All Smartphones and Tablets
A state-mandated shortcut to people’s home screen, whether they want it or not.
Russia Pushes State-Backed Messaging App “Max” as it Moves to Ban WhatsApp
WhatsApp’s potential exit marks another milestone in Russia’s quiet war to nationalize the internet one app at a time.