Russia launches NashStore app store

MOSCOW. May 16 (Interfax) - A Russian application store, NashStore (an analogue of Google Play designed by the autonomous non-profit organization Digital Platforms), became available to users on Monday.

Store users will need to open an account, a statement published by NashStore on Telegram said. That could be done either in the application or on the store website and the login and password could be used to access NashStore.

The application can be downloaded on an Android device on the store's official website.

More than 1,000 applications are currently available in NashStore.

As reported earlier, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin tasked the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media with opening a domestic application store for mobile devices before June 1. He said that was necessary as AppStore and Google Play might limit the ability of Russian users to download applications and asked Russian developers to create a domestic eco-system.

Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev said in late April that the Russian holding VK was developing the domestic application store and its beta version would be launched by the end of May without using budget funds.

Former Project Director of the Internet Development Institute Arseny Sheltsyn founded ANO Digital Platforms in 2014.