Senator Artem Sheikin, the Deputy Chairman of the Council for the Development of the Digital Economy within the Federation Council, has asked the Ministry of Digital Development to assess the installation of VPN services in RuStore that do not meet Russian legal standards. The request was referenced by TASS in the text of Sheikin’s letter to Minister Maksut Shadayev.
In his correspondence, Sheikin notes that RuStore serves as a native Russian online app marketplace for mobile devices and operates with the backing of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation. He urges an internal audit to determine what criteria should govern the inclusion of VPN services in the store, and to clarify how such services align with national law and policy. The senator emphasizes the need for clear, verifiable standards that would guide the listing process for VPN offerings in RuStore, as reported by TASS.
Sheikin argues that a core criterion for VPN deployment is that these services should not enable access to information that is prohibited within the Russian Federation. He suggests that any VPN listed in RuStore must have safeguards that prevent users from accessing content deemed illegal or harmful under current regulations.
Additionally, the official highlights that the Russian Communications Security Agency has prepared a draft order proposing the blocking of sites and services that provide information or features facilitating access to information banned in Russia. If the draft is approved, its provisions are planned to take effect on March 1, 2024, influencing how digital services are regulated and accessed in the country.
A related study previously indicated that about one third of Russians reported encountering fake banking app clones, a risk that also appears in official stores and underscores the importance of robust oversight and verification of app authenticity across platforms like RuStore.