Russia’s state-backed messaging app Max has been renamed in app stores, where it now appears as ”Макс” (Maks) on both the App Store and Google Play.
The two names are equivalent, the service’s press office told the Russian news agency Interfax.
VK launched Max in the spring of 2025, and Russian authorities have since pushed it aggressively — from neighborhood chats to login services on the government’s Gosuslugi portal. At the same time, Russia has restricted WhatsApp and effectively blocked Telegram.
A law protecting the Russian language and restricting the use of English loanwords took effect in Russia on March 1. Registered trademarks are exempt.
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