The launch of a national messenger in Russia does not necessarily mean Telegram will be blocked swiftly, according to State Duma deputy Anton Gorelkin. If Telegram complies with Russian laws, extreme measures like blocking will not be needed.

Gorelkin highlighted that the new domestic messenger, MAX, was recently presented to President Vladimir Putin by the head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Maksut Shadaev. MAX has the potential to become a national digital platform.

The national digital platform aims to offer higher call quality than WhatsApp and implement reliable channels similar to those on Telegram. Integration with government services is expected to be a key advantage of the new messenger.

President Putin has urged all department heads to support the Russian development, emphasizing its importance.