Russian dictator Putin instructed the government to develop measures by September 1, 2025, to restrict the use of foreign software in the Russian Federation, including messengers developed in "unfriendly countries." This was reported by the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, writes UNN.
Details
As intelligence notes, the WhatsApp messenger, owned by the Meta organization, which is recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation, came under special attention. This, as intelligence notes, makes it one of the main candidates for potential blocking.
The situation with Telegram is ambiguous: although the messenger is of Russian origin, its supposedly "independent" position and refusal to cooperate with the authorities make its status uncertain.
The authorities have already created a new element of the centralized digital surveillance system – the Max messenger from VK.
All officials were ordered to switch to Max. The application has full access to the microphone, camera, contacts, geolocation, and files. It cannot be turned off by standard means, uses root access and system jar files – signs of malicious software. Data is automatically transferred to servers associated with VK, which is controlled by the Russian special services
Recall
The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine reported on the Kremlin's nervous reaction to the bans on Russian state media in Europe. The restrictions imposed by a number of European countries dealt a blow to Russia's foreign propaganda system.