Russia has released a list of domestically developed apps that will remain accessible during mobile internet shutdowns—blackouts that authorities have frequently ordered to disrupt Ukrainian drone attacks.
The Digital Development Ministry announced on Friday that the apps include online government services, marketplaces, the Mir payment system, and the state-backed MAX messenger. However, the list excluded foreign platforms such as Meta’s WhatsApp and Alphabet’s YouTube, despite their overwhelming popularity in Russia.
Ministry’s Statement
The ministry said it had created a “special technical solution” to keep local services active:
“This measure will reduce the inconvenience caused to citizens by mobile internet shutdowns necessary to ensure security,” it stated, without mentioning Ukraine or drones.
Regional governors along Russia’s border have repeatedly justified shutdowns as necessary to disrupt drone navigation.
Push for Digital Sovereignty
Moscow has been tightening restrictions on foreign apps since the war in Ukraine began in 2022, part of a broader push to boost home-grown platforms and increase control over the online space.
- WhatsApp remains Russia’s most-used app with 97.6 million users (July, Mediascope).
- Telegram ranks second with 90.9 million users, though it was also excluded.
- VK Messenger, from state-run VK, has 16.7 million users.
- MAX, also from VK and now pre-installed on all devices sold in Russia, claims 30 million users.
Connectivity Complaints
This summer, Russian users reported frequent outages and WhatsApp disruptions, fueling concerns over growing government intervention in internet access.
