Max: Russias State-Supported Messenger Aims to Replace WhatsApp Amid Rising Control and Growing Skepticism

Russia is intensifying its efforts to create a self-sufficient digital ecosystem. Max, a state-sponsored messaging app developed by VK, is being marketed as a patriotic substitute for popular platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, which have recently faced interruptions to their voice and video calling features nationwide.

Officials have announced plans for Max to evolve into Russia’s «super-app,» striving to consolidate messaging, payment processing, and access to government services into a single platform.

Since its launch in March, Max has reportedly accumulated over 18 million registered accounts, a significant increase from just 1 million in June.

We examined the app’s capabilities, its shortcomings, and the government’s rapid push to establish Max as a reliable service:

Beginning September 1, all smartphones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs sold in Russia will have Max pre-installed.

The Kremlin’s initiative appears strategic; since mid-August, users of WhatsApp and Telegram have been experiencing failures in voice call functionalities—connections often drop within moments of starting.

The Federal Communications Agency, Roskomnadzor, officially restricted voice calling features on these messaging platforms, justifying the move by citing their exploitation by fraudsters and terrorists, but the ban has also inconvenienced countless regular users who depended on these services for affordable communication.

«As of now, many Russian businesses completely rely on Telegram and WhatsApp for business calls. These call restrictions have put a question mark over the overall reliability of such dependency,» commented Denis Kuskov, CEO of Telecom Daily, during an interview with RBC Life.

Some of Russia’s prominent social media influencers have endorsed Max. Rap artist Instasamka, who has recently begun collaborating with the authorities and has criticized fellow artists, praised Max’s call quality in an Instagram post, claiming she spoke uninterrupted for two hours in an underground parking garage. Similarly, pop star Valya Karnaval, an ambassador for VK Video, commended the app’s «excellent connectivity» even while moving or in elevators.

Musician Yegor Krid took promotion further by featuring Max in his music video for the track «Morye» («Sea»). Reclining in a rubber boat at sea, he tells someone on the phone: «Can you believe it, Max works even out here!» This blatant product placement drew widespread ridicule in the comments.

VK’s design director, Artemy Lebedev, highlighted the app’s lack of anonymity as a key selling point. In a conversation with blogger Amiran Sardarov, he asserted that this feature helps eliminate bots and scammers. More controversially, he mentioned the absence of «khokhly» (a derogatory term for Ukrainians) on the platform, further fueling debates.

Comedian Denis Dorokhov also joined the promotional efforts, praising the app’s connectivity while traveling.

However, the app’s marketing strategies have drawn mockery, with streamer JesusAVGN highlighting that Max is receiving accolades merely for fulfilling basic functionalities. «With Max, they’ll even catch you in the elevator,» he quipped, hinting that, like VK in general, Max may share user data with the Russian government.

User feedback is mixed. A Google Play reviewer rated the app one star, stating, «It frequently freezes, and my messages don’t always go through.» Meanwhile, an iOS user left a five-star review, exclaiming: «Finally, an app that actually works, unlike WhatsApp. I hope they keep improving it.»

Beneath the flashy marketing, Max is intended to further a political agenda. Officials aim to integrate it with the state services portal, Gosuslugi, through the Unified Identification and Authentication System (ESIA). This integration would enable citizens to access government platforms, pay utility bills, and sign documents directly via Max, effectively transforming it into a digital hub for essential civil services.

However, during a government meeting in early August, the Federal Security Service (FSB) initially halted Max’s immediate linkage to ESIA over concerns regarding personal data safety. Sources within the IT sector, cited by Russian media, reported that the FSB provided a lengthy list of security requirements, including certified encryption systems and source code evaluations. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko, supervising the initiative, expressed similar apprehensions.

By August 7, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev disclosed that Max had successfully met all security criteria from the FSB for integration with Gosuslugi. VK maintains that ongoing concerns are being resolved, although full integration is now anticipated only by late fall.

At present, Max resembles any ordinary messaging application: no distinctive features are apparent, and the incorporation of government services remains nebulous.

Even without full access to Gosuslugi, governmental bodies are aggressively encouraging the public to adopt Max. The Housing and Communal Services Ministry in Moscow has mandated that all building and neighborhood communication channels migrate from WhatsApp and Telegram to the new app. According to former Moscow City Duma deputy Yevgeny Stupin, this mandate originates from the Construction and Housing Ministry. Notices urging residents to download Max are popping up in the entrances of apartment buildings across significant cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg.

In Bashkortostan, housing managers were instructed to shift all resident chats to Max by August 25. The State Housing Inspectorate has dispatched similar orders to management companies in Moscow, Tula, Nizhny Novgorod, Krasnodar, Belgorod regions, as well as Bashkortostan, as reported by Ostorozhno Novosti.

Educational institutions in more than 20 regions are also being made to transition to Max, with pilot projects taking place in Tatarstan, Mari El, Altai, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District, and Vladimir and Tver regions aimed at migrating all school communication there. Tatarstan authorities announced that personnel from the Education Ministry, as well as principals, staff, students, and their parents, are expected to switch to Max by November.

A teacher from Tatarstan expressed concerns to the exiled news outlet Vyorstka, fearing that they might once again face pressure from authorities.

«They’ll likely compel us to influence students and parents to adopt Max,» the teacher remarked.

«At my workplace, we were told that soon, all of us will need to transition to Max. They didn’t clarify what that entails or how we will utilize it. It’s unclear if I can refuse. Knowing that Max serves as a tool for state control, I would seriously prefer not to go through that,» shared a 63-year-old pediatric doctor in St. Petersburg who chose to remain anonymous when speaking to The Moscow Times.

Vyorstka reports that at least 57 regions are compelling public-sector employees and officials to transition to Max, affecting schools, housing services, and local authorities. St. Petersburg State University claims to have become «Russia’s first university to begin utilizing the national messenger,» while the governor has proclaimed St. Petersburg the first region to employ Max for municipal services.

Max’s rapid expansion has revealed its vulnerabilities.

When VK initiated a public bug bounty program in July, security researchers quickly identified several significant vulnerabilities. VK reported it had disbursed over 220,000 rubles ($2,700) in rewards, with the firm now offering up to 5 million rubles ($62,000) for serious security defect discoveries, emphasizing the dangers of rushed development and the pressing need to fix flaws.

Max can only be registered using Russian or Belarusian phone numbers, with virtual SIM cards barred and registrations from other countries impossible. This effectively isolates Russians abroad from connecting with family and friends back home via Max unless they acquire a Russian or Belarusian number.

A recent independent assessment labeled Max as highly invasive, highlighting its collection of IP addresses, geographical data, and contact lists, explicitly stating in its privacy policy that it may share this information with government entities and «company partners.» The app requests permissions to access a phone’s camera, microphone, Bluetooth, notifications, and biometrics. Developers also utilize open-source code from other countries, including Ukraine—a fact critics argue undermines Moscow’s claims of technological independence.

Security analysts have reported scams targeting Max users, with attackers posing as technical support to offer «activation protection» services, luring victims into sharing SMS verification codes.

Social media platforms have been inundated with memes likening Max to «mandatory Soviet-style queues» and jesting that soon «Max will come pre-installed on our kettles and fridges.» Others have lampooned the app’s glitches, sharing screenshots of stalled chats accompanied by captions like «sovereign technology in action.» On X, one user quipped: «Max works even at sea—but not in my kitchen.»

«Public-sector workers in Russia are among the most powerless individuals, comparable to migrant laborers. Thus, they’ll comply with any absurd directives handed down from above,» stated blogger Anatoly Nesmiyan.

This humor reflects widespread discontent: while individuals may download Max because they are instructed to, few seem enthusiastic about adopting it willingly.

The ascent of Max encapsulates both Russia’s digital aspirations and its insecurities. The app is advertised by celebrities and enforced through state directives, as foreign competitors encounter increasing technical restrictions.

Ultimately, whether Max is embraced as a reliable everyday tool or remains a symbol of state compulsion will hinge on VK’s capacity to address security vulnerabilities and on whether Russians come to view the app as more than just a forced download.

Importantly, authorities are not abandoning prior digital endeavors but are merging them into Max.

Sferum, Russia’s government-run educational platform that integrates messaging with online learning resources and has been compulsory in schools since 2022, will be integrated into Max. The Education Ministry stated that Sferum’s features will be accessible within Max beginning with the new academic year, with pilot regions launching on August 25 and a national rollout by September 15. The Sferum website now directs users to download Max to access its services via the national messenger.

As one educator in the Vladimir region reflected on the initial Sferum implementation: «We registered for Sferum when required, but we communicated using different messaging apps.» This trend may recur with Max: formal compliance may disguise ongoing dependence on foreign platforms—as long as they remain available.

The drive for Max represents a crucial test of whether Russia can impose digital sovereignty through administrative authority rather than technological prowess.

With WhatsApp and Telegram voice calls disabled, millions of Russians face a stark dilemma: accept a messaging app they distrust or forsake easy communication with friends, family, and colleagues.

As the September 1 mandatory pre-installation deadline looms and more regions enforce the switch, Max may succeed not because it is desired but because alternatives are nonexistent.