MOSCOW, Aug 21 (Reuters) - A Russian state-backed

messenger application cast as a rival to WhatsApp which critics

have said could be used for surveillance purposes must be

pre-installed on all mobile phones and tablets from next month,

the Russian government said on Thursday.

The decision to promote the popularity of MAX, the new

state-controlled messaging app, comes after Russia restricted

some calls on WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms META.O, and on

Telegram, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of failing to

share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism

cases.

The government, which is seeking greater control over the

internet space, said in a statement on Thursday that MAX, which

will be integrated with government services, would be on the

list of mandatory pre-installed apps on all "gadgets", including

mobile phones and tablets, sold in Russia from September 1.

It will also be mandatory from the same date for Russia's

domestic app store, RuStore, currently pre-installed on all

Android devices, to be pre-installed on all Apple devices, the

government said.

An online Russian-language TV app called LIME HD TV, which

allows people to watch Russian state TV channels for free, will

be pre-installed on all smart TVs sold in Russia from January 1

next year, the government added.