Russia is intensifying its internet crackdown with widespread restrictions on WhatsApp and Telegram calls, while mandating the installation of a Kremlin-backed 'super-app' called Max. This strategy, combined with pervasive mobile internet blackouts, aims to centralize digital control and surveillance, threatening both user privacy and the open web. The moves reflect a broader shift toward Chinese-style digital authoritarianism, with profound implications for developers, cybersecurity, and global tech policy.