On August 22, Russian officials expressed concerns regarding the potential imposition of restrictions on Google Meet, citing fears that certain applications might monitor the activities of Russian citizens and relay sensitive information to Western intelligence agencies. Andrey Svintsov, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, emphasized the need for limitations on applications capable of tracking individuals. He stated, “Applications that can track Russians and pass information about them to Western special services need to be limited.”
In the wake of these concerns, users across Russia have reported experiencing disruptions while using Google Meet, including issues such as calls lacking audio or video and unexpected disconnections. Despite these reports, Roskomnadzor, the country’s communications watchdog, reassured journalists that “no restrictive measures have been implemented.”
The rise in Google Meet’s usage can be traced back to the government’s ban on voice and video calls within popular messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp. Concurrently, authorities are promoting the Kremlin-backed messenger Max, which is set to be preinstalled on all new smartphones beginning September 1, including in Ukrainian territories under Russian control. Experts have raised alarms about Max, suggesting it could provide the FSB with extensive surveillance capabilities, leading some to label it a “digital gulag.”
Max, launched by VKontakte in March 2025, aims to supplant foreign messaging applications and establish itself as Russia’s national state messenger. Reports indicate that a blacklist of targeted platforms is currently in development, following President Putin’s commitment in May 2025 to “strangle” foreign digital services.
In a related context, it has been reported that pro-Russian hackers recently executed a cyberattack on a small hydropower plant located in Poland’s Pomeranian Voivodeship, near Gdańsk. This incident marks the second time this facility has been targeted in recent months.
