government strategy

The Russian government has mandated that all smartphones and tablets sold in the country must come pre-installed with MAX, a state-backed messaging application, starting September 1, 2025. This initiative is part of a strategy to enhance control over digital communications, requiring devices to also include RuStore, Russia's domestic app store, and from January 1, 2026, all smart TVs sold must feature LIME HD TV. MAX is presented as a secure alternative to WhatsApp and Telegram, which have faced restrictions in Russia due to compliance issues. As of July 2025, WhatsApp had approximately 97.3 million users in Russia, and Telegram had around 90.8 million users. MAX, developed by VK, a state-controlled firm, reported 18 million downloads during testing. Approximately 105 million Russians own smartphones, indicating that about 72 percent of the population possesses one. There were around 216 million mobile connections in Russia as of early 2025.