The Russian Duma called for Telegram to be unblocked due to issues with Makh

Following the removal of the state-run messaging app Max and VK’s services from the international app stores—Google Play, the App Store, and AppGallery—as a result of sanctions, the Russian State Duma proposed unblocking Telegram. 

Sergey Obukhov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on the Development of Civil Society, made a statement to that effect. He emphasized the need to establish contact with the platform’s founder, Pavel Durov.

The deputy noted that following the forced “replacement” of Telegram with the Max app, serious communication problems arose in frontline and border regions of the Russian Federation, and residents stopped receiving push notifications about missile threats and attacks. Despite complaints from the regions, Russia’s Ministry of Digital Development stated that it “sees nothing wrong with the block.”

This was reported by The Moscow Times.

The Google Play Store has removed a number of popular Russian services owned by the VK holding company. “VKontakte,” “Odnoklassniki,” the “Max” messenger, Mail.ru, and “Zen” have disappeared from the platform. The company confirmed the removal of the apps but noted that apps already installed will continue to work for the time being.

The European Union has expanded its sanctions list against Russia, adding VK and its subsidiary “Communication Platform”—the developer of the Russian messaging app “Max”—to the list. The European Union noted that the messenger was developed under the supervision of the Russian Federal Security Service, which established mandatory requirements for its creation.