The Russian messaging app Max has started blocking chats containing information about gasoline shortages
In several regions of Russia, the Max messaging app blocked chat rooms where users were sharing information about gasoline availability, lines at gas stations, and places where they could fill up their cars.
According to journalists, such chat groups were blocked in at least the Vladimir, Ivanovo, and Tver regions, as well as in Krasnokamensk and Chita.
In particular, the “Gasoline 33” chat in the Vladimir region gathered about 15,000 participants in three days, “Gasoline Ivanovo” had about 8,000, and the Tver chat had approximately 9,000 users.
According to the local publication “Zebra TV,” the chat in the Vladimir region was blocked due to a technical violation—platforms with an audience of more than 10,000 subscribers must be registered in a special Roskomnadzor registry. The reasons for blocking the other chats have not yet been disclosed.
The fuel crisis in Russia is intensifying: gasoline is running out at gas stations and lines are growing.
Russia has allowed the use of lower-quality gasoline due to the fuel crisis.
