Russian troops reportedly oppose forced use of state-run messenger
Photo: Russian military personnel (GettyImages)
Internal resistance to the mandatory transition to the government-controlled MAX messenger is being recorded in Russian army units. Servicemen are trying to find ways to circumvent the command's requirement, according to the ATESH partisan movement.
Read also ATESH operation targets electric locomotive, crippling Russian logistics in Sumy
Mandatory switch to MAX
In many units of the 2nd Combined Arms Army in the Donetsk region, dissatisfaction with the decision to forcibly install the state-controlled messenger app MAX has intensified.
According to sources, Russian military personnel were required to completely switch to the new platform by February 18 and refuse to use other communication services.
This order caused open irritation among both enlisted personnel and some officers.
Reasons for resistance
The military considers MAX to be software that is under the complete control of the special services and fears the possible consequences of its use.
Against the backdrop of recent communication disruptions and the shutdown of Starlink, Russian units have experienced additional difficulties with management and coordination.
According to available information, this has led to personnel losses and the loss of previously held positions, particularly in the Huliaipole direction.
Search for workarounds
In private conversations, Russian military personnel report that they are purchasing separate phones for the formal installation of MAX, while continuing to use other messengers for their main communication.
Some commanders unofficially turn a blind eye to this. Russian military fears that the use of the state messenger could lead to disciplinary or criminal consequences, since, in their opinion, conducting combat operations in strict accordance with current regulations is impossible in practice.
Representatives of the ATESH movement reported that Starlink terminals are failing en masse in Russian Armed Forces units, leading to disruptions in the command and control system. According to their data, communication problems have caused disorganization in certain areas, and there have been cases of so-called friendly fire.
The Ukrainian underground movement ATESH reported the discovery of new Russian military infrastructure in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to their information, the base is being built in the village of Myrne near Melitopol, in the temporarily occupied territory of the region.
