Why Is Putin Replacing WhatsApp With a State-Made Messenger?

Russia has ordered all government officials to abandon WhatsApp and switch to a new domestically developed app called Max by September 1, 2025. The move is part of a broader policy aimed at strengthening digital sovereignty and minimizing dependency on foreign technologies.

President Vladimir Putin signed a law in June mandating the development and use of a state-owned messaging platform. As a result, the Max app, created by VK Company, has become central to the Kremlin’s effort to control data flow within Russia’s borders.

National Security and Control

Officials say the transition to Max addresses serious national security concerns. Officials view foreign messaging apps, particularly those from sanctioned countries, as potential tools for surveillance and influence.

By moving Russian communications to Max, the government ensures that data remains on local servers managed by VK, a company under state control. The change enhances the ability of Russian authorities to monitor, archive, and regulate all digital messaging activity.

Did you know?
Russia previously failed to ban Telegram in 2018 despite court orders, due to mass public backlash and technical workarounds.

Surveillance and Data Access

Concerns over Max’s privacy features are mounting. Reports suggest the app has full access to users’ microphones, cameras, geolocation, contacts, and files. Moreover, Max uses privileged system-level access and cannot be turned off through normal means.

Data captured via the app is automatically sent to servers linked to Russian authorities. Critics warn this establishes a legally sanctioned form of mass surveillance with very limited public transparency or recourse.

Goodbye WhatsApp, Hello Max

WhatsApp, used daily by 68% of Russians, will soon be banned. The banning of Meta-owned platforms like Facebook and Instagram began years ago. Viber was blocked in 2024. Now, WhatsApp is being removed entirely from Russian digital infrastructure.

All new phones and devices sold in Russia will ship with Max pre-installed. Telegram, ironically created by Russian entrepreneurs, is also under regulatory scrutiny despite its popularity and use of encrypted “secret chats.”

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All-in-One Super App Vision

Officials envision Max as more than a chat app. It’s modeled after China’s WeChat, combining messaging with digital payments, government services, and banking access. Eventually, it may integrate e-signatures, passport verification, online education, and state benefit access.

Behind this functionality is VK, which also operates VK Video, Russia’s YouTube alternative. Pavel Durov, the same entrepreneur behind Telegram, originally founded VK.

A Strategic Tech Shift

This app-centric strategy is central to Russia's broader digital decoupling. As tensions with the West persist, restricting apps from “unfriendly” countries is viewed as a path toward national tech independence.

Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the IT Committee in Russia’s lower house of parliament, said, “It’s time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market.” As laws tighten, fines and criminal liability may follow for noncompliant software.

What's Next

It's unclear whether public adoption will adhere to official mandates. The app’s aggressive permissions and ties to the state raise fundamental questions about digital privacy, civic freedom, and the future of internet use in Russia.

As Max becomes more deeply embedded in government and daily life, Russia appears poised to enter an era of fully state-controlled digital communications, a model with profound implications for authoritarian governance in the digital age.