Russia has officially launched Messenger Max, which the Kremlin is promoting as a national messenger modeled after China's WeChat. The app is controlled by state agencies, and from September it has been mandatory on all devices sold in the country and in occupied territories of Ukraine.
Users report technical problems with Max: difficulties with authorization, frequent crashes, heavy battery consumption, outdated interface, and low user ratings. The app requires 3.5 GB of storage and does not work on older Android devices.
Analysis of Max's code has confirmed extensive surveillance features: collection of geolocation, contacts, clipboard content, list of installed apps, regular camera activation for photos, saving message drafts, and sending data to Russian security services (FSB) via the SORM system. A major data breach exposed the user database online.
Messenger Max does not support end-to-end encryption—only an FSB-approved client-server standard, giving authorities continued access to information. The app is forcibly installed in educational, healthcare, and government institutions. Registration on occupied territories is only possible with a Russian or Belarusian number, aimed at digital isolation.
The Max code contains components from Ukraine, the US, and Poland. Direct control over the messenger is part of a strategy to digitally isolate the population and suppress resistance. Russian authorities seek to block alternative communication and expand surveillance amid deepening technological isolation.
