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Google Meet Struggles in Russia Amid Push for State-Controlled Max Messaging App
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![Photo of Liubava Petriv]( "Photo of Liubava Petriv")
On August 22, Russian authorities have warned of potential restrictions on Google Meet, citing concerns that some applications could monitor Russian citizens and transmit information to Western intelligence agencies.
“Applications that can track Russians and pass information about them to Western special services need to be limited,” said Andrey Svintsov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy.
“Let me remind you that our main task is to import-substitute all necessary technologies and services as quickly as possible. I consider certain protectionism appropriate,” he added.
Users in Russia have reported disruptions with Google Meet, including calls with no audio or video that often disconnect unexpectedly. Roskomnadzor, the communications watchdog, assured journalists that “no restrictive measures have been implemented.”
The surge in Google Meet usage followed the government ban on voice and video calls in messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp. At the same time, authorities are pushing the Kremlin-backed messenger Max, which will be preinstalled on all new smartphones starting September 1—including in Ukrainian territories under Russian control.
Experts warn that Max could grant the FSB sweeping surveillance powers, dubbing it a “digital gulag.”
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Launched by VKontakte in March 2025, Max aims to replace foreign messaging apps and serve as Russia’s national state messenger. A blacklist of targeted platforms is reportedly in development following Russian leader Putin’s May 2025 vow to “strangle” foreign digital services.
Previously, it was reported that pro-Russian hackers carried out a cyberattack on a small hydropower plant in Poland’s Pomeranian Voivodeship, near Gdańsk. This is the second time the same facility has been targeted in recent months.
