Kremlin Spokesperson Peskov Labels EU Sanctions Against MAX Messenger as Manifestation of Repressive Policy

Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary to the Russian president, has strongly condemned the European Union's decision to impose sanctions on the Russian messenger MAX, describing the move as absolutely absurd and a clear demonstration of the repressive character of European sanctions policy.

The EU added the parent company VK and its subsidiary LLC Communication Platform, the developer and operator of MAX, to its sanctions list due to their connection with Russia's national messenger. This action follows the removal of the VK and MAX applications from the Apple App Store in June, although already installed versions continue to function without the ability to receive updates through the store.

VK has stated that the sanctions have not impacted the messenger's operations and that MAX along with other services remain fully available to users in normal mode. The situation raises questions about whether further barriers will emerge around MAX beyond the current sanctions listings and App Store restrictions, with political rhetoric currently outweighing any significant technical consequences.