The EU General Court has registered a new case, T-672/26 – Bagudina v Council, in which the former head of the company behind Russia’s state-backed MAX messenger is challenging European Union sanctions imposed on her.
According to SanctionsLists, the only individual with that surname on the EU sanctions list is Elena Bagudina, who headed Communication Platform LLC (now OOO “MAX”). In 2025, the company, owned by VK structures, was designated as the operator of the MAX messenger.
Under Russian law, starting September 1, 2025, the Max messenger must be pre-installed on all smartphones officially sold in Russia, including devices running iOS, Android, HarmonyOS, and HyperOS operating systems. The government expanded the pre-installation requirement to ensure Russian applications could compete with foreign alternatives and to guarantee user access to domestic digital services.
The Sanctions Justification
Bagudina was added to the EU sanctions list in July 2026 in connection with her work on the messenger. The EU’s justification stated that “The development of the Max application was supervised by the Federal Security Service (FSB), which established the requirements that the
developers of the Max application had to meet. The Max application must be pre-installed on all mobile phones and tablets sold in Russia and is integrated with the Gosuslugi service”.
According to the Council Implementing Regulation, Bagudina, as General Director of Communication Platform LLC — a subsidiary of VK (formerly VKontakte) that created and manages the state-supported MAX mobile application — was responsible for the app’s development and management . The regulation noted that MAX must be pre-installed on all mobile phones and tablets sold in Russia and is integrated with the Gosuslugi service .
The EU further stated that, according to many experts, the MAX application has extensive surveillance capabilities and can track messages, including the use of VPNs, collect data on other apps installed on phones, monitor address books, determine user locations, and install autonomous updates . Information collected by Russian authorities through MAX reportedly became the basis for fining a Russian citizen over content published in the app .
Change of Leadership
In December 2025, Bagudina was replaced as General Director by Farit Khusnoyarov, who had previously served as Deputy Minister of State Administration, Information Technology and Communications of the Moscow Region. At that time, the ministry was headed by Maksut Shadaev, who later became Russia’s Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media.
The case was registered on 7 October 2026 and is currently pending before the General Court . Filing a lawsuit does not mean the sanctions have been lifted.
