Molniya Messenger Debuts in RuStore as Paid Alternative with End-to-End Encryption
A new contender has entered the messenger market with the launch of Molniya, developed by Russian company Red Soft in partnership with Chinese firm Passion Tech.
The application is available for Android users through the RuStore platform and carries a one-time fee of 750 rubles. This pricing model means no further payments are required for any features after the initial purchase.
According to the product listing, Molniya supports personal and group chats, audio and video calls, channels, a social feed, and short videos. The developer states that end-to-end encryption is enabled by default for both personal and group conversations.
Additional technical specifications include the ability to send files up to 4 GB in size, create up to 30 folders for organizing chats, and pin a maximum of 15 conversations or channels. Users may also subscribe to as many as 1,000 channels.
The companies explain the paid model as a deliberate choice to avoid subscription or in-app purchase structures. Their stated goal is to attract 15 million users within one and a half years after release.
Earlier reports indicated that Molniya was planned for launch in early 2026, but the application has now appeared in RuStore ahead of that timeline.
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