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Moscow University Students Pressured to Use State App Max to Receive Diplomas
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Students at the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics of the Moscow Pedagogical State University (MPGU) say they were told to register in the state-run messaging app Max, with warnings that otherwise they may not be able to access their diplomas through the government portal Gosuslugi.
The claims were reported by the outlet Ostorozhno, Novosti on March 15, citing student testimonies and screenshots of correspondence with faculty representatives.
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According to the students, they were informed that academic communication and administrative processes at the university are being transferred to the state messenger. Screenshots shared with the outlet show messages from dean’s office staff indicating that students must register in the app to continue interacting with the university’s digital systems.
Ostorozhno, Novosti also reviewed a copy of an order from the Russian Ministry of Education dated February 13. The document instructs institute directors and deans, “in order to implement and use the Max messenger,” to organize meetings with students that include “a discussion about the use of the messenger,” and to submit reports on the results of those meetings.
Representatives of MPGU confirmed to RIA Novosti that the Max messenger is being introduced into the university’s “information and educational environment,” linking the decision to the blocking and “incorrect operation” of previously used messaging platforms.
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The pressure to adopt the state messenger is not limited to universities, as similar requirements are being imposed on Russian military personnel. Russian servicemen in the Donetsk region are reportedly refusing orders to install the state-controlled messaging app MAX, according to agents of the ATESH partisan movement.
According to ATESH, Russian command ordered all personnel to switch to MAX by February 18 and prohibited the use of other messaging platforms. The directive has caused open frustration among soldiers and some officers.
The situation reportedly worsened after recent disruptions to Starlink services, which created serious communication problems within Russian units. ATESH claims this led to losses among personnel and the abandonment of previously held positions, particularly in the Huliaipole direction.
“Rank-and-file soldiers and part of the officer corps are actively looking for ways to avoid installing the Russian state messenger MAX—essentially spyware fully controlled by the security services,” the movement said.
The tightening control over digital communication comes as Russian authorities are also preparing new tools to monitor and censor internet traffic nationwide. Roskomnadzor plans to introduce a new internet traffic censorship system in 2026 that will use artificial intelligence.
Russian government has allocated 2.27 billion rubles (more than $29 million) for the project, despite ongoing economic difficulties, including budget pressures affecting public sector salaries and the cost of supplying remote regions.
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