Apple Removes Russia-Backed Messaging App Max from App Store

Apple has removed Max, Russia’s state-supported messaging app, from the App Store. The app disappeared from the store on the evening of June 3, preventing iPhone and iPad users from downloading it.

Scraper SystemJune 06, 2026, 07:26 PM

Apple Removes Russia-Backed Messaging App Max from App Store

Apple has removed Max, the messaging app supported by the Russian government, from the App Store. The app vanished from the store on the evening of June 3, and iPhone and iPad users can no longer download it.

Users who had previously installed the app on their devices also stopped receiving notifications and updates. However, the main functions of Max reportedly continue to operate.

Russian Minister of Digital Development Maksut Shadayev stated that the ban affected more than 20 million people. He noted that this represents at least a quarter of Max’s total user base.

Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Shadayev said Apple has not provided any justification so far. According to him, 25 to 30 percent of the app’s daily audience—over 60 million users—accessed the service via iPhone and iPad.

VK’s press service also confirmed that the app became inaccessible on the App Store. The company said the Russian developer has contacted Apple and is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Max’s press service reported that on the morning of June 4, call and message notifications stopped on Apple devices, while other functions remained active. Users were advised to open the app manually from time to time to avoid missing important messages.

Apple has not yet commented on the removal decision. This marks the second instance in two months of a popular messaging app accused of monitoring users in Russia being removed from the store.

The first case was Telega on April 9. Known as an alternative client for Telegram, experts found various security vulnerabilities in the app that risked user privacy.

Before Telega’s removal, Cloudflare flagged the telega_me and api.telega_info domains linked to the Telegram client as spyware. Subsequently, GlobalSign revoked the TLS certificate verifying the project’s authenticity.

A similar situation occurred for Max at the end of April. Cloudflare flagged the max.ru and web.max.ru domains as spyware. However, this warning was soon lifted, and the app has not been listed as a risk since then.

Spyware allegations had surfaced about Max before. Experts reported finding a spyware module in the app in early March that appeared to monitor whether the device owner was using a VPN.

A technical review in mid-May uncovered new security vulnerabilities in Max’s Android version. The author of the study said the embedded tools in the app were sufficient to be flagged as malware on Google Play.

Some political groups had also pressured Apple to remove Max from the App Store. In early February, Yuliya Navalnaya called on Apple and Google to pull the app from their stores.

Supporters of Yekaterina Duntsova’s Rassvet party had previously raised the same proposal. Whether Apple’s decision was due to these pressures or technical reasons will become clear after the company’s official statement.

According to Apple’s transparency report, the company removed about 167,000 apps from its store in 2025, mostly due to suspected fraud and discontinued services.

During the same period, over 1,200 apps were removed at the request of Russian authorities. The removal of Max stands out as a notable recent step within this broader context.

Apple Removes Russia-Backed Messaging App Max from App Store

Apple has removed Max, Russia’s state-supported messaging app, from the App Store. The app disappeared from the store on the evening of June 3, preventing iPhone and iPad users from downloading it.