Putin wants this state-mandated app on every Russian phone. What happens to the rest of the internet? | Explained

Russia’s new messaging app is mandatory, and it might replace Whatsapp and Telegram

WhatsApp could soon be pushed out of Russia. YouTube is already being throttled. And starting next month, all new smartphones in the country will come pre-installed with a state-mandated app called MAX, a key part of the Kremlin’s plan to reshape the internet under its control.

President Vladimir Putin just signed a fresh set of laws aimed at tightening Moscow’s grip over the online lives of millions. The move is part of a years-long push to replace an open, global internet with a state-controlled alternative, one that looks eerily similar to China’s censored digital ecosystem.

A slow death of online freedom

For years, Russia’s internet was a rare space for free speech in an otherwise tightly managed state. Platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram were widely used, not just for memes and music but also for exposing government corruption and organising protests.

That changed drastically after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin banned major Western platforms like Facebook and Twitter, pushed out TikTok, and passed sweeping laws to criminalise dissent both on the streets and online. The rise and imprisonment (and eventual death) of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who famously used YouTube to spotlight corruption, only accelerated the crackdown.

Now, Russia is making it harder to even access banned platforms. According to The New York Times, Putin has signed new laws restricting VPNs, banning their advertising, and making their use to commit crimes an 'aggravating circumstance.' Nearly 200 VPN services have already been blocked.

What is MAX and why is it a big deal?

MAX is a new messaging app created and approved by the Russian government. Starting next month, it will come pre-installed by law on all smartphones sold in Russia. Think of it as Russia’s answer to China’s WeChat, an app for everything: texting, posting, paying bills, applying for government services, and possibly even filing for divorce.

Local authorities have already begun testing MAX in schools. Officials, teachers, and parents may soon be required to use it. “You need to bring it into the daily life of people to the extent that you cannot avoid this app anymore,” Philipp Dietrich of the German Council on Foreign Relations told The New York Times.

WhatsApp and Telegram in the crosshairs

One of the clearest signals of where things are heading came from Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of Russia’s IT committee in Parliament. In June, he warned that WhatsApp should 'prepare to leave the Russian market.' With nearly 100 million users in Russia, that would be a massive shift.

Telegram, though not banned, may also be at risk. Despite being used by both government propagandists and dissidents alike, officials have called it an “entity that worries the state.” Analysts say its survival may hinge on how cooperative it remains with the Kremlin.

Still, blocking Telegram could be risky. “Russia will turn into Mordor,” warned Mikhail Klimarev, head of the exiled Internet Protection Society, referencing the dark authoritarian land from The Lord of the Rings.

Why the Kremlin wants its own internet

The broader vision, experts say, is to build a 'sovereign internet,' a closed ecosystem where Moscow can track, censor, and even shut off online communication at will.

“This is about absolute control,” said Anastasiia Kruope, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, in an interview with The New York Times. “They are not perfect… But they are getting better, and this is the reason to start paying attention.”

MAX is just the latest step in this larger strategy, to kill off foreign platforms, offer Russian alternatives, and centralise digital life under Kremlin-approved software. Or as Andrey Zakharov, author of a new book on the Russian internet, put it: “Now the tactic is to block them, kill them, and provide an alternative.”

The resistance: Memes, VPNs, and mockery

MAX has already become a punchline in Russia. One influencer who promoted it on Instagram, a platform banned in Russia, was mocked for praising the app’s signal strength 'even in the parking garage.'

Despite mounting restrictions, many Russians still access YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms using VPNs. But the digital cat-and-mouse game is getting harder, as the Kremlin tries to block VPNs deeper in the internet’s infrastructure.

And it’s not just about platforms. The Kremlin has also been arresting critics on Telegram. A prominent blogger, Igor Girkin, was jailed for criticising Russia’s military. Another popular Telegram channel, Baza, saw its editor arrested for allegedly bribing officials, a charge he denies.