For a month, you could comfort yourself with the hope that the story with VK and MAX in the App Store was temporary. That the apps were removed by mistake, lawyers would sort everything out, and one day they’d quietly return to the store. Today, July 13, the European Union put a definitive end to that hope. VK and the legal entity behind the national messenger MAX have officially landed on the EU sanctions list. And we had warned that MAX on iPhones could be shut off completely, and Brussels’ new decision has only brought that threat closer.
The EU imposed sanctions against VK and MAX, thereby permanently closing their path to the Apple store
Sanctions Against VK: What Happened
The EU Council published its decision in its Official Journal. The restrictions targeted VK itself, the company that owns VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, Zen, and several other services. Along with it, the subsidiary “Communication Platform” was added to the list. This is precisely the legal entity responsible for the national messenger MAX. In early 2026, the company changed its name to LLC “Max,” but that doesn’t change the essence.
Sanctions also hit the software developer VAS Experts, as well as the companies Norsi-Trans and Citadel, which make SORM solutions. In total, more than ten individuals and organizations were added to the updated list on July 13.
Brussels’ language is harsh. According to the EU, VK “provides technical support for the suppression of civil society.” Individuals were targeted too: Elena Bagudina, the CEO of “Communication Platform,” is now under personal sanctions. VK head Vladimir Kirienko has been on these lists since March 2022. For EU-based companies, all this means asset freezes and a financing ban.
VK itself remains calm. The press service stated that sanctions do not affect the operation of VK and MAX, and that apps and services remain available to users as usual. Formally, that’s true. But the “usual mode” has long been different from what it was in spring. While the app is alive, you can use it on multiple devices simultaneously, but there are fewer and fewer of these “whiles” each month.
Why VK and MAX Were Removed from the App Store
Let’s refresh the timeline. In early June, MAX disappeared from the App Store. Apple cited compliance with sanctions at the time but didn’t specify which sanctions it meant. On June 25, all VK apps were removed: VKontakte itself, its messenger, Music, Video, Dating, Zen, Odnoklassniki, and Mail.ru email.
Throughout this time, VK had a rock-solid argument. The company kept repeating that it wasn’t under any sanctions, meaning Apple had no legal grounds to kick out its software. Legal opinions were sitting on Apple’s desk. The logic was sound.
In late June, all VK apps were removed from the App Store
Today, that logic has crumbled. VK is now officially on the EU sanctions list, in black and white. Apple always operates by one principle: it complies with the laws of the countries where it operates. Previously, the Americans pointed to US sanctions, and now European ones have been added. Under these circumstances, expecting Apple to change its mind and return the apps under their original names is simply naive. In short, whether MAX will return to the App Store is now an almost rhetorical question.
The scale of the problem is already clear. According to the head of the Ministry of Digital Development, about 20 million MAX users lost access to the messenger after the removal. The ministry called Apple’s decision politically motivated and filed a complaint with the FAS (Federal Antimonopoly Service). But the FAS has virtually zero influence over Apple’s policy within the App Store.
Will VK Apps Return Under a Different Name
Here it’s worth recalling the banks. Sberbank, VTB, Alfa, T-Bank have been living without the App Store since 2022, after the first US blocking sanctions. And during this time, they’ve perfected an entire survival strategy that VK will almost certainly adopt as well.
Here’s how it works. A bank releases its app through third-party developers and under a neutral name. Sometimes it’s a fitness tracker, sometimes an audio player, sometimes some other harmless utility. T-Bank over a couple of years managed to appear as VibroGym App, Clanstrix, and EasyCatch Sounder. VTB rolled out “Balance Online” instead of “VTB Online,” Sber hid its client under the name SBOL, and recently even under “Family Online.” Apple detects these disguises and sometimes removes the app in less than a day. So the banks make short raids into the store again and again.
Banks disguise themselves as best they can. Just so you know, these are Alfa and Sber
Most likely, this is exactly the path that awaits VK and MAX. They won’t be allowed into the App Store under their own names. So they’ll resort to disguising themselves as random apps, PWAs (where a website turns into an icon on the home screen), and alternative stores like RuStore for Android. iPhone owners traditionally have it hardest in this situation, since Apple guards its ecosystem much more tightly.
How to Keep VK Apps on Your iPhone
If MAX or VK apps are still installed on your iPhone, the main rule is simple: don’t delete them. Getting a removed App Store app back is nearly impossible.
Next, go to Settings, the App Store section, and turn off “Offload Unused Apps.” Otherwise, iOS will eventually offload a rarely used app to save storage, and you won’t be able to restore it. It’s also worth prohibiting app deletion in Screen Time — it won’t hurt.
Make sure to disable this setting
Be prepared for everyday inconveniences too. Removed apps don’t send push notifications, and there won’t be any updates either: the developer simply has nowhere to publish new versions. As long as the current build launches, you can use it. But every major iOS update now becomes a lottery.
There are also backup options. VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, and Mail.ru email all have working web versions in the browser. Any of them can be saved as an icon on the home screen via the Share menu, resulting in something very close to an app.
