Kremlin warns Russia "rapidly losing" media influence in neighboring countries

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said that Russia is rapidly losing key tools used for information and propaganda work abroad, particularly in neighboring countries.

Peskov noted that Moscow’s information activities across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are becoming increasingly difficult due to what he described as the dominance of “hostile social networks.”

“We are now rapidly losing the tools for our propaganda work abroad. Especially in the near abroad,” Peskov said.

According to the Kremlin spokesperson, Russia’s domestic messaging platform Max must strengthen its position and outperform competing services across the CIS region. He stressed that the platform’s developers should recognize their responsibility to make the service “more attractive” and capable of winning the competition for users.

Max, a Russian digital platform combining messaging functions with access to government services, was developed in 2025 by the technology company VK.

Following the slowing down of WhatsApp — owned by Meta Platforms, which has been designated an extremist organization and banned in Russia — and Telegram, many Russian users and government institutions began switching to Max.

Telegram continues to operate in areas connected with Russia’s military operations, though the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation has expressed hope that military personnel will soon adapt to the new messaging service.

By Vafa Guliyeva