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Putin Ordered Crackdown on Foreign Platforms, Criminalized Extremist Searches

7/27/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Vladimir Putin ordered officials to list foreign internet platforms for restriction.
Law criminalizes searches for “extremist” material, LGBTQ+ content, opposition groups and Navalny’s memoir, deemed extremist.
Firms control VK and the messenger MAX, which logged 2 million registrations and will be preinstalled on Russian smartphones.
Anton Gorelkin warned that WhatsApp, with 97 million users, should prepare to leave Russia, while fees rose from 7,500 rubles (~$90) to 1 million rubles (over $12,300).

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Story summary

President Vladimir Putin ordered officials to list foreign internet platforms for restriction.
Law criminalizes searches for “extremist” material, LGBTQ+ content, opposition groups and Navalny’s memoir, deemed extremist.
Firms control VK and the messenger MAX, which logged 2 million registrations and will be preinstalled on Russian smartphones.
Anton Gorelkin warned that WhatsApp, with 97 million users, should prepare to leave Russia, while fees rose from 7,500 rubles (~$90) to 1 million rubles (over $12,300).