The Kremlin is planning a closed national internet with the Max app as a centralized tool, limiting access to Western platforms and penalizing VPNs.

Russia is aiming to create a controlled national internet, similar to the North Korean model, by launching the Max app to replace Western apps. It will function as a messaging service, but the authorities plan to develop it into a ubiquitous tool for payments and interactions with public services. Max will lack end-to-end encryption, allowing the state access to citizens' conversations. The State Duma has also passed a law criminalizing the use of VPNs, strengthening the Kremlin's control of information. This strategy reflects the regime's fears of dissent and desire to control the flow of information.