Regional authorities and representatives have been instructed to actively adopt the national messaging platform Max, according to eight sources familiar with regional administrations who spoke to Vedomosti.
One source revealed that governors, regional government members, election committee leaders, senators, federal lawmakers, and other officials will be required to install the messenger. Another clarified that all regional and municipal officials across various levels must download Max.
Deadlines for account creation vary by region, with some setting August 1 as the target date and others extending the deadline until summer’s end. A company representative noted that the shift to Max is "unavoidable" for banking and public sector workers due to existing legal requirements.
St. Petersburg reportedly became the first Russian region to integrate its services into Max, with accounts like "St. Petersburg 112 Service" and "St. Petersburg Information and Reference Service '122'" now available on the platform.
Discussions about Max’s rollout reportedly took place during a late July meeting involving the presidential administration and government officials. While no specific user targets for regional adoption have been set yet, a source indicated this could change later.
President Vladimir Putin approved legislation establishing the national messenger on June 24. The platform will enable users to access government services, sign documents, and check into hotels without physical identification. It will also host all educational services and communication channels. Starting September 1, Max will come pre-installed on all smartphones and tablets sold in Russia.