March 21, 2026
Officials Will Be Legally Obliged to Use Messenger Max
Russian officials are planning to be legally obliged to use the state messenger Max for official duties and interaction with citizens. This is reported by Forbes. Exceptions will be made only for specific cases related to informing about the work of state bodies or appeals through state information systems. The requirement to switch to the state messenger is contained in amendments for the second reading of the anti-fraud measures package. It was passed in the first reading on February 10. If the amendment is approved, it will come into force in September of this year. A source close to the Ministry of Digital Development told Forbes that officials "simply will not comply with this requirement" – no responsibility is provided for this, "at least, at the moment." Earlier, journalists from the Faridaily project reported that Russian officials do not want to switch to Max. According to the channel's interlocutors, representatives of the authorities and state companies are buying separate SIM cards and smartphones to install the messenger, calling it a "source of surveillance."
TL;DR
- Russian officials may be legally required to use the state messenger, Max, for official duties and citizen interactions.
- Exceptions will be made for specific communication related to government work and state information systems.
- This requirement is part of amendments to an anti-fraud bill, with a potential effective date of September.
- A source suggests officials may ignore the requirement due to a lack of penalties.
- Some officials reportedly view the Max messenger as a surveillance tool and are using separate devices for it.
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