Overview
- President Putin signed legislation requiring every new smartphone sold in Russia to come preinstalled with the state-backed MAX app starting in September.
- A new law criminalizes online searches for broadly defined “extremist” materials, exposing individuals to fines and potential jail time.
- Roskomnadzor has ramped up blocking of VPN services and implemented regional cellphone internet shutdowns to isolate domestic traffic.
- Deputy lawmakers have publicly urged WhatsApp to exit the market so that users will transition to the government-mandated MAX messenger.
- Regulatory changes, including a rise in internet provider licensing fees to one million rubles, have consolidated IP address management under seven major, state-aligned firms.