- Apple has removed the state-backed MAX app from its App Store to comply with international sanctions.
- Although the app still works for existing users, Apple has removed push notifications for calls and messages.
- The Kremlin made MAX a mandatory “national messenger” to centralize national digital communications.
Apple has removed Russian state-backed MAX Messenger from the App Store.
Russian users first reported the app’s disappearance on the evening of Wednesday, June 3, when it disappeared from App Store search results and direct download links.
The developer behind MAX later confirmed to official news agency TASS that the app was no longer available for download. Independent local sources have also verified that the platform remains unavailable on iOS devices.
Although the MAX app will continue to work normally for users who have already installed it, the developer has confirmed that these users will no longer receive push notifications for incoming messages and calls.
In a statement, Apple confirmed that it has removed the MAX app from the App Store in accordance with sanctions compliance rules.
The tech giant said it operates in compliance with the laws of the jurisdictions in which it does business, although it did not specify what exact sanctions triggered its application.
TechRadar has contacted Apple for further comment on the removal, and we will update this page as soon as we receive a response.
What is MAX Messenger?
Developed by tech giant VK – the company behind Mail.ru and social network VKontakte – MAX was launched in March 2025 as a state-approved alternative to WhatsApp and Telegram.
From the start, the Kremlin made it clear that the super-app was destined to become an essential part of citizens’ digital lives.
In June 2025, President Vladimir Putin signed a law making MAX a “multifunctional national messenger.” In September, the software became a mandatory pre-installation on all new smartphones and tablets sold in Russia.
As Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor steps up measures to limit and disrupt foreign platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram, citizens are increasingly turning to MAX. Previously, Telegram was one of the few global platforms accessible without a VPN.
However, digital rights and security experts have warned of its “enormous surveillance potential” since the launch of MAX.
More recently, US infrastructure giant Cloudflare called MAX “spyware”, although the label was later removed, according to independent Russian media outlet Meduza.
Other technical analyzes suggest that MAX can detect whether users have a VPN connection enabled, as well as other invasive tools to spy on user activities.
MAX has strongly rejected claims that the app could spy on its users.
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