Armenia's prime minister says peace with Azerbaijan and US-run corridor is a win for all sides — including regional powers Russia and Iran
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CNN
23 minutes ago
- CNN
Kremlin-backed Max messenger app to be pre-installed on all smartphones sold in Russia
Russia Social mediaFacebookTweetLink Follow The Russian government will require the state-backed Max messenger app to be pre-installed on all smartphones and tablets sold in the country, in a move that could increase surveillance of Russian citizens. In a statement Thursday, the Kremlin said Max would be installed on devices from September 1. The RuStore app, a homegrown rival to Apple's App Store, will also be pre-installed on iPhones. In addition, from January 1, the Lime HD TV program, which provides free access to Russian state TV channels, will be automatically installed on Smart TVs in the country. Max was launched by the state-controlled social media group VK in March as a replacement for VK Messenger, which has been on the government's list of mandatory apps since 2023. The new app allows users to send messages, make audio and video calls and send money, with additional features planned in the future. These will include the integration of a travel booking app, VK said in its latest earnings report. Around 18 million people have registered with Max since its launch, Russian state news outlet TASS reported earlier this week, citing the platform's press team. Max is similar to China's hugely successful WeChat app, which gives users an all-in-one outlet to message, post on social media and make payments and reservations. User activity on WeChat is most likely under heavy state surveillance, experts previously told CNN. At the same time, Russia has moved to limit the use of some foreign messaging services. Russia has already banned Facebook, Instagram and X. And earlier this month, the country's media regulator announced restrictions on voice calls via WhatsApp and Telegram 'in order to counter criminals.' WhatsApp, in its turn, accused Russia of attempting to block access to the app for its 100 million Russian users. Unlike Max, WhatsApp and Telegram provide end-to-end encryption, preventing third parties from accessing user data. Russia has attempted to make it increasingly inconvenient to use foreign social media apps, Anastasiia Kruope, a researcher at Human Rights Watch, noted in a report in July. 'This, along with active state-sponsored promotion of Russian alternatives, forced a growing number of users to switch to Russian browsers and social media,' Kruope wrote. Similarly, Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan, senior fellows at the Washington, DC-based Center for European Policy Analysis, wrote last month that 'a sustained attack' on WhatsApp was part of the Kremlin's efforts 'to harass Russians into switching to Max from WhatsApp.' 'The policy is likely to work, especially if the population is given no choice,' they added. Max developer VK was co-founded by Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram, in 2006. Durov was forced out as CEO in 2014 after several arguments with the Russian state over censorship and refusals to hand over user data. Current VK CEO, Vladimir Kiriyenko, is the son of Putin's First Deputy Chief of Staff, Sergey Kiriyenko. CNN's Caitlin Danaher, Mitchell McCluskey, Katharina Krebs and Anna Chernova contributed reporting.
CNN
24 minutes ago
- CNN
Trump ramps up rhetoric on Russia-Ukraine conflict as peace talks momentum stalls
President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to offer a rationale for Ukraine to go on offense against Russia, notable rhetoric as the momentum around peace talks has stalled. 'It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It's like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia,' Trump said in a Truth Social post. He continued, 'Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? Regardless, this is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President - ZERO CHANCE. Interesting times ahead!!!' During the Biden administration, it was long-standing policy that Ukraine could not launch long-range American-made missiles into Russia. That changed in November 2024, following pressure from US allies. Trump's comments come as the Kremlin has openly contradicted the White House on plans for a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that leader-level talks are far from imminent and that Putin has yet to agree to such a meeting. Additionally, Russia launched a sweeping series of airstrikes on Ukraine overnight, including an attack on an American-owned manufacturing company that injured at least 15 people. This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN
31 minutes ago
- CNN
Trump ramps up rhetoric on Russia-Ukraine conflict as peace talks momentum stalls
Russia War in Ukraine Donald TrumpFacebookTweetLink Follow President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to offer a rationale for Ukraine to go on offense against Russia, notable rhetoric as the momentum around peace talks has stalled. 'It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders country. It's like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning! It is like that with Ukraine and Russia,' Trump said in a Truth Social post. He continued, 'Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? Regardless, this is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President - ZERO CHANCE. Interesting times ahead!!!' During the Biden administration, it was long-standing policy that Ukraine could not launch long-range American-made missiles into Russia. That changed in November 2024, following pressure from US allies. Trump's comments come as the Kremlin has openly contradicted the White House on plans for a bilateral meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, suggesting that leader-level talks are far from imminent and that Putin has yet to agree to such a meeting. Additionally, Russia launched a sweeping series of airstrikes on Ukraine overnight, including an attack on an American-owned manufacturing company that injured at least 15 people. This is a developing story and will be updated.
