Russias State Duma Approves Groundbreaking Law for National Messenger Integration with State Services

The State Duma of the Russian Federation has approved a draft law concerning the creation of a national messaging platform in its second and third readings. According to State Duma Deputy Anton Gorelkin, the new platform will be multifunctional and will offer features not available in Telegram and WhatsApp. Its main advantage will be its deep integration with government services. The messaging app will include chatbots and mini-apps from Russian platforms, and all user data will be stored on Russian servers in an anonymized format.

On May 31, 2025, a proposal was submitted to the State Duma for the creation of a digital service that combines messaging and government services, which aims to provide a secure communication environment. Users will be able to confirm their identity through a digital ID, eliminating the need for physical documents. For instance, individuals will be able to verify their age in stores or check into hotels.

This service is expected to be listed in the national software registry and will facilitate communication with government entities and provide access to educational chats. The system will be connected to the «Goskluch» for document signing.

The Ministry of Digital Development of the Russian Federation considered linking «Gosuslugi» (the State Services) with Telegram but opted for a domestic solution instead. The Minister of Digital Development Makshut Shadaev has endorsed the initiative to create a national messenger based on Max from VK, which is comparable to WeChat. In Max, users can chat, make calls, and access mini-apps for shopping, restaurant menus, or customer support.

The new platform will consolidate government services, financial transactions, and business interactions, serving as a continuation of «Gosuslugi» to simplify everyday tasks and mitigate fraud risks. Through the application, users will be able to authenticate their identities, present their rights and student IDs, access benefits, submit documents to government agencies, and receive responses.

The lawmakers believe this service is essential for the Russian populace, making digital life more convenient and secure while keeping other messaging platforms available. The platform will serve as a single access point to all essential services. The next steps for the enactment of this law involve approval from the Federation Council, agreement from the President of the Russian Federation, and subsequent publication.