June 17, 2025

iState: A Russian Government Messenger?


iState: A Russian Government Messenger?
iPhone screen.
freestocks.org from Olsztyn, Poland
, Wikimedia Commons.

On June 10, The Russian State Duma approved the creation of a multi-purpose "national messenger" in Russia that will be pre-installed on newly sold smart devices in the country. Novaya Gazeta Evropa spoke to an internet-specialist lawyer to see how Russians' private conversations and information may be compromised by the new messenger.

Starting September 1, all smartphones and tablets will have a pre-downloaded national messaging app combined with a digital ID system. Head of the State Duma IT Committee Sergei Boyarsky said the national app would allow users to receive government services, verify identity, sign contracts, and execute bank transactions. Educational services and chats will also move to the multipurpose government messenger.

Inspired by China's WeChat, which allows its users to text, pay, and even book hotels from the app, Russia's Ministry of Digital Development wants its own national messenger, but not for its convenience. WeChat is known to surveil and censor users. Lawyer Sarkis Darbinyan fears Russia will store messages and data from the users and send them to law enforcement.

The government has not yet determined which app will be chosen for their project. Russia has attempted five times to create a messenger like the Ukrainian-American created WhatsApp. Meta, the current owner of WhatsApp, has been declared “extremist” by the Russian state The likely candidate for the national app is Max, VKontakte's WeChat-like messaging platform.

Darbinyan said Max or any other national messenger is unlikely to fully migrate WhatsApp’s 97.4 million users in Russia to its platform. And the app will likely only be used nationally, limiting its audience and their communications with people abroad. Unlike other messaging platforms that have end-to-end encryption, Darbinyan said it was likely that Max would have cryptography approved by the FSB. This setup will allow special forces to easily decode any message in the platform. “So it will definitely not be a platform for the free exchange of information,” said the lawyer.

Undeterred, Boyarsky said, "Whatsapp and Telegram will continue to function and live out their century, but now on the condition of unconditional compliance with our laws. They will no longer be able to ignore [the laws], taking advantage that there is no replacement for them." 

You Might Also Like

One for the Books
  • May 11, 2025

One for the Books

2024's Victory Day parade was a bit of a dud. 2025's more than made up for it.
With Prayers and Drones
  • April 28, 2025

With Prayers and Drones

Dozens of Orthodox military-patriotic clubs across Russia prepare children for war.
Finn-ancial Crisis?
  • April 14, 2025

Finn-ancial Crisis?

The Finnish parliament has passed a law forbidding Russians from owning real estate in the country.
Log Your Blog, or Else
  • April 06, 2025

Log Your Blog, or Else

Russian influencers could face consequences if they fail to register with the state.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955