The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the Max messenger from VK, which Russians are being forced to switch to, is completely open to Russian special services. Ukrainian specialists are already working to hack the application.
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, said that the Max messenger from VK, which Russians are being forced to switch to, is completely open to Russian special services. Ukrainian specialists are already working to hack the application.
Budanov spoke about this in an interview on the YouTube channel «Apostrophe TV».
«They forced everyone to switch to this messenger, and at the same time, they also started blocking audio conversations via WhatsApp and Signal… This messenger was developed by them [Russian special services], and they have the codes — they don’t need to listen, they have access and analyze them using artificial intelligence. This is a huge array,» said the head of the GUR.
This is probably the Max messenger developed by the Russian company VK at the request of the Ministry of Digital Affairs of the Russian Federation. In August, the Russian authorities restricted calls to Telegram and WhatsApp, allegedly to combat fraudsters. According to experts, this will contribute to the transition of users to the controlled service.
The Russian government also praised the decision to make the state-owned Max messenger mandatory for pre-installation on all mobile phones and tablets purchased in the country from September 1, 2025. It integrates with the Russian state services service Gosuslugi, making it mandatory for state employees, schools, and universities.
Kirill Budanov does not believe that the Max messenger will be used to increase mobilization in Russia, but it will contribute to greater control over Russian society and prevent information leaks.
«Well, it’s okay, we’ll work with him and get into this one too… We’ll crack it,» Budanov said. He confirmed that the GUR is already working on this.
