In Russia today, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to avoid MAX, the country’s new state-controlled messaging application.
Its presence is undeniable: billboards proudly display it, schools actively encourage its use, and a roster of celebrities are reportedly paid to promote it. New mobile phones are even sold with MAX preloaded, and in one city near Moscow, the local emergency broadcast system echoed with calls for residents to install the app.
Beyond overt promotion, Moscow is employing a more subtle, yet effective, strategy. For several weeks, authorities have deliberately hampered the functionality of leading international messaging apps, WhatsApp and Telegram, specifically disrupting their voice and video call features. This interference, which the government vaguely labels an ‘antifraud’ measure, contrasts sharply with the perfectly clear calls experienced on MAX.
This aggressive rollout of the new ‘super app’ represents a significant escalation in President Vladimir V. Putin’s long-standing effort to assert tighter government control over Russia’s online information and communication. Analysts suggest Putin aims to shepherd Russians towards a ‘sovereign internet’—a digital ecosystem isolated from Western technology and foreign ideas, making it far easier for the government to censor and monitor.
Philipp Dietrich, an expert on the Russian internet from the German Council on Foreign Relations, notes that a truly free internet is incompatible with an authoritarian system. He emphasizes that the strategy is to compel users onto domestic platforms that are more amenable to state control.
For years, Putin has voiced strong criticism of foreign tech companies that resist full compliance with Kremlin regulations. In May, he explicitly stated that any such companies operating within Russia while acting against the nation’s interests should be ‘strangled.’
Now, with YouTube videos experiencing throttling, Facebook and Instagram officially banned, and calls on WhatsApp and Telegram deliberately impaired, Moscow is systematically tightening its grip on the digital lives of its citizens.
MAX, the Kremlin’s alternative to international messaging services, bears a striking resemblance to China’s WeChat. In China, the internet is rigorously censored, with content from the outside world blocked by a ‘Great Firewall.’ The extent to which Moscow plans to emulate these digital restrictions remains uncertain.
Mr. Dietrich highlights the Kremlin’s cautious approach: ‘You need to do this in a way that you don’t come across completely as a dictatorship.’
According to Dietrich, Russian authorities have incrementally intensified their control. For instance, rather than an outright ban, YouTube has seen its speeds reduced. They’ve also avoided completely outlawing virtual private networks (VPNs), which allow users to bypass many restrictions. This gradual tightening has, so far, mitigated widespread public outrage.
He believes the Russian leadership is still gauging the limits of public tolerance. ‘That’s why they unleash things very, very slowly and wait for a reaction and see how it goes,’ Dietrich explained.
However, for many Russians, the changes have been a source of frustration. Yevgeny Zudin, a 35-year-old industrial worker, shared how these new limitations complicate his ability to connect with fellow paleontology enthusiasts globally. He even participated in a small protest in Omsk, his city in southwestern Siberia.
‘This is happening gradually, and people don’t notice it,’ Zudin observed. ‘They think that one limitation of their rights and freedoms is tolerable, but if they accept it, we will keep getting more isolated and unable to communicate with the outside world.’ Ultimately, Mr. Zudin resorted to using a VPN.
Others, however, have adopted a more pragmatic view. Denis Dmitriev, a 46-year-old psychologist from Moscow, downloaded MAX after experiencing issues with video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram. He claims to be satisfied with the new service, seemingly unconcerned by potential surveillance risks.
‘My attitude is that you have to live in a way that you have nothing to hide,’ he stated.
Mr. Dmitriev also expressed support for developing Russian-made alternatives to widely used foreign applications, citing the increasing intensity of Western sanctions against Russia. He noted a growing trend among his contacts joining MAX, as indicated by frequent alerts.
‘Everyone needs time to accept the inevitable,’ he concluded.
This month, MAX’s parent company reported that over 45 million individuals have registered accounts, representing almost a third of Russia’s total population. The app averages 18 million daily active users.
Russian authorities frame MAX as a crucial tool in combating online fraudsters who prey on children and other vulnerable individuals via platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. While messaging and voice notes remain largely functional on these foreign apps, some users fear a complete ban in the future.
When the interference with WhatsApp and Telegram calls began in August, Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications regulator, claimed these partial restrictions were implemented to combat criminal activity and fraud. This disruption coincided directly with Moscow’s aggressive campaign to promote MAX.
A spokesperson for WhatsApp, owned by Meta, affirmed the company’s dedication to providing private communication in Russia and its ongoing efforts to maintain service. Telegram, founded by Russian brothers and headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, did not immediately comment.
The imposed restrictions on voice and video calls have caused considerable inconvenience for many Russians, as confirmed by over a dozen accounts shared with The New York Times. These apps were a popular way to economize on mobile plans, which often impose per-minute charges or limit call durations. These frustrations are amplified by frequent mobile internet outages, often implemented by Russia to counter Ukrainian drone activity.
Some individuals have reverted to using landline or standard cellular calls, which lack encryption and are easily monitored by the state.
While many have turned to VPNs, authorities are intensifying their crackdown on these services, pushing for their removal from app stores and criminalizing their advertisement or use for accessing prohibited content.
Mr. Dietrich predicts that Russian authorities will likely make accessing VPNs even more challenging in the future. Already, many less tech-savvy Russians are deterred by the complexities and costs involved.
In response, some Russians have sought out alternative platforms that appear to be less affected by interference, such as Zoom and the lesser-known messaging app, Imo.
Russian soldiers serving in Ukraine have also reported challenges in maintaining contact with their families back home due to the limits on WhatsApp and Telegram. However, some shared with The New York Times that they could still use Telegram to call each other on the front lines, where state interference seems to be less prevalent.
VK, the Russian social network responsible for MAX, is continually developing the app’s features with the clear objective of making it an essential part of Russian daily life. VK operates under state control, with its complex ownership structure linking it to a close associate of President Putin. The chief executive is reportedly the son of Mr. Putin’s first deputy chief of staff.
Moscow has announced that MAX will enable Russians to access government services, schedule doctor’s appointments, retrieve homework assignments, and communicate with local authorities. The app has also started offering a digital ID, serving as an alternative to physical identification.
To register for MAX, users must possess a Russian or Belarusian SIM card, effectively excluding most foreign users. Visually, the app is similar to Telegram or WhatsApp, offering video calls and the ability to follow various channels.
The push for MAX adoption has been particularly intense within government institutions, especially educational facilities.
A recent installment of ‘Conversations About Important Things,’ a state-mandated weekly series of patriotic school lessons, featured MAX prominently. The lesson presented the app as Russia’s ‘final step’ towards achieving ‘digital sovereignty.’
Some Russian schoolchildren have found humor in the state’s insistence on the app, creating satirical videos on TikTok. Other Russians have produced humorous clips highlighting the privacy implications, including one where a poster of Mr. Putin mysteriously appears in a room, emphasizing potential surveillance.
While both WhatsApp and Telegram provide end-to-end encryption for calls, MAX does not. The Russian app’s legal disclaimer explicitly informs users that their data or accounts may be transferred to state or local government bodies if legally requested.
Dmitri S. Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, last month told the state news agency Tass that Russian authorities possess the capability to surveil communications across all platforms, whether foreign or domestic.
‘Any messaging app is a completely transparent system,’ Mr. Peskov asserted. ‘And the people who use them must understand that they are all transparent — for the intelligence services.’”