Russian Mobile Carriers Waive Data Fees for State-Backed Max Messenger

July 31, 2026 People on their phones in Moscow. Svetlana Nafikova / Moskva News Agency Major mobile carriers in Russia have agreed to zero-rate data usage for the domestic Max messenger, the app’s developer VK announced Friday, marking the latest push to steer users toward the state-approved platform and away from foreign messengers. Starting Aug. 1, voice calls, messaging, file transfers and other digital services within Max will be free of charge for subscribers of MTS, MegaFon, Beeline and T2. Beeline CEO Sergei Anokhin said the agreement was made due to Max’s role as “part of the state’s digital infrastructure,” the newspaper Kommersant reported. MegaFon, meanwhile, said that carriers aimed to “pool their resources to build a single, unified digital environment.” Russian authorities have aggressively promoted Max since its spring 2025 launch, embedding it within state digital services and requiring pre-installation on all smartphones sold in the country. Max boasts nearly 70 million daily active users, having overtaken Telegram in May and June, according to media audience tracker Mediascope. The announcement of the zero-rating deal with major mobile carriers follows EU sanctions against VK over its development of Max. Brussels claims that Russia’s FSB security service had “supervised” the development of Max and said the app has “extensive” surveillance capabilities to monitor communications. In compliance with the sanctions, Apple and Google removed the VK and Max apps from their app stores. Read more about: Max , VKontakte , Telecommunications Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Russians Should Get Ready for More Internet Blackouts and Switch to Cash, Lawmaker Says “Don’t turn into a hipster who only lives in the center of Moscow,” the head of the State Duma’s Industry and Trade Committee said. 2 Min read Russian Internet Providers Work to Speed Up YouTube – Kommersant The move comes nearly a month after online users in Russia started experiencing sharp declines in YouTube loading speeds. 2 Min read Ukraine Says Suspects Russia Behind Massive Hacking Attack The attack led to large-scale failures in the services of Ukrainian mobile operator Kyivstar. 2 Min read Russian Subsea Telecoms Cable Damaged in Baltic Sea Finland was informed of the damage five days after a leak led to the shutdown of the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia. 2 Min read