St. Petersburg State University has mandated the use of the Max messenger for internal communications, as directed by vice rector Vladimir Starostenko. The human resources department is required to inform new employees about this policy. Sources indicate that the directive has been communicated to all departments, but staff members express discontent and reluctance to adopt the platform, with many not engaging in meaningful communication via Max. The Max messenger, developed by VK, was launched in spring 2025 and is being promoted by Russian authorities for various uses, while popular apps like WhatsApp and Telegram are blocked in Russia.