Russian tech giant VK announced Thursday plans to sell 100% of RuStore, the country’s state-backed app marketplace, to the CEO of the company that develops the platform.
The divestment comes after the European Union sanctioned VK this week over its role in creating the Kremlin-backed messaging app Max.
RuStore was created as a domestic Android alternative following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, stepping in after Apple and Google limited access for Russian users.
Last year, the Russian government made it a legal requirement for the storefront to come pre-installed on all smartphones sold in the country.
Dmitry Pankrushev, CEO of RuStore’s developer, Mnogo Prilozheniy, has managed the platform’s day-to-day operations for several years.
