Max, a Russian state-run messaging app, has stopped working amid authorities’ attempts to block Telegram.

Complaints about service issues began after 12:00 PM, with hundreds recorded on Downdetector, The Caspian Post reports.

Users say the app won’t open, cannot send or receive messages, download media, and some have lost all chats or cannot access personal accounts. Most complaints came from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Khakassia, Udmurtia, and the Nizhny Novgorod, Novosibirsk, and Chelyabinsk regions.

This is the second Max outage in three days; the previous occurred on March 30. The app, promoted by authorities as “reliable” and “secure,” is on the government-approved “white list” meant to work during internet outages. On April 1, Roskomnadzor planned to block Telegram, according to media reports, following law enforcement directives. Over the past 24 hours, more than 6,600 complaints were reported for Telegram.

Mikhail Klimarev said Telegram “has not yet been 100% blocked,” but its availability has dropped to about 30%, effectively limiting access.

Pavel Durov criticized the move, claiming Russian authorities aim to “force” citizens onto Max, a “state-controlled app designed for surveillance and political censorship.”

Roskomnadzor first announced the Telegram block on February 10, citing the app’s refusal to comply with Russian law. The next day, WhatsApp was also fully blocked, along with other previously banned social networks and Western media websites.