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'National messenger' to be pre-installed on devices

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New app is being integrated with government services

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Critics say it's a spy app, state media deny that

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WhatsApp and Telegram are under regulatory pressure

(Adds context in paragraph 2 and new details in paragraphs

7-11)

By Andrew Osborn

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

messenger application called MAX, a rival to WhatsApp that

critics say could be used to track users, must be pre-installed

on all mobile phones and tablets from next month, the Russian

government said on Thursday.

The decision to promote MAX comes as Moscow is seeking

greater control over the internet space as it is locked in a

standoff with the West over Ukraine, which it casts as part of

an attempt to shape a new world order.

The Russian government said in a statement that MAX,

which will be integrated with government services, would be on a

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

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

State media says accusations from Kremlin critics that MAX

is a spying app are false and that it has fewer permissions to

access user data than rivals WhatsApp and Telegram.

It will also be mandatory that from September 1, Russia's

domestic app store, RuStore, which is pre-installed on all

Android devices, will be pre-installed on Apple devices.

A Russian-language TV app called LIME HD TV, which allows

people to watch state TV channels for free, will be

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

the government added.

The push to promote homegrown apps comes after Russia said

this month it had started restricting some calls on WhatsApp,

owned by Meta Platforms ( META ), and on Telegram, accusing the

foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law

enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases.

WhatsApp, which in July had a reach of 97.3 million in

Russia, responded by accusing Moscow of trying to block Russians

from accessing secure communications, while Telegram, which had

a reach of 90.8 million users, said it actively combats the

harmful use of its platform.

The third most popular messenger app in July, according to

Mediascope data, was VK Messenger at 17.9 million people, an

offering from the same state-controlled tech company VK

which developed MAX.

MAX said this week that 18 million users had downloaded its

app, parts of which are still in a testing phase.

Russia's interior ministry said on Wednesday that MAX was

safer than foreign rivals, but that it had arrested a suspect in

the first fraud case using the new messenger.