Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government and the Central Bank to provide comprehensive support for the domestic instant messaging service, the Max messenger. This follows from the official message on the Kremlin's website.
The task of the authorities is to organize work on the development of the Russian messenger, including providing users with access to the most popular public services through the platform, as well as to the services of credit and other organizations. This step is aimed at creating a more integrated and secure digital environment in which domestic technologies can compete with their foreign counterparts.
A report on the work done must be submitted to the President of Russia by August 15. In addition, until September 1, it is necessary to ensure the stability and security of the functioning of the Russian segment of the Internet, which is part of large-scale measures to develop the national digital infrastructure.
Max messenger, which operates on a Russian digital platform, has already registered over one million users. Most of the audience is concentrated in major cities — Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar and Kazan. Max is positioned as the Russian equivalent of the Chinese WeChat, combining the possibilities of communication, access to public services and financial services in one application.
Support for Max is part of the government's strategy to strengthen digital sovereignty and reduce dependence on foreign IT products in the communications segment.
