VK to launch its own applications store for Android on May 25

MOSCOW. May 18 (Interfax) - The Russian applications store RuStore, developed for Android by VK, will be launched on May 25, the company's CEO Vladimir Kiriyenko said.

"We are launching a beta version. The planned launch date is May 25," Kiriyenko told a briefing on Wednesday.

Application ratings, push notifications and connections to payment systems will be added to RuStore in the summer period, he said.

In accordance with an order issued by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, the Russian Digital Development Ministry is to complete the creation of a domestic applications store for mobile devices by June 1. Mishustin said foreign platforms, App Store and Google Play, may limit Russian users' possibility of downloading applications and called on Russian engineers to make a domestic ecosystem.

The Digital Development ministry earlier told Interfax RuStore is Russia's largest applications store, which is developed by VK in partnership with Russian IT companies with the agency's support.

Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev said the applications store is being developed by large Russian BigTech companies led by VK without using budget funding. The applications store is being created for devices using the operating system Android.

VK earlier filed three applications for the registration of RuStore trademarks. The holding has also registered the domain rustore.ru.

ANO Digital Platforms, which is developing another domestic applications store for Android devices, NashStore, has announced the launch of its service this week.