Russia adds Apple and Microsoft to data-retention registry

Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has added Apple and Microsoft to the official registry of digital communications providers that are obliged to store and share user data. Both companies were included on October 2, 2026. The listing allows Russian authorities to request messages, voice recordings and video call content belonging to people who use the companies' services.

The rules are not limited to the content of communications. Companies covered by the registry are also expected to retain customer information and records showing how communications flow through their systems.

Three years of in-country storage

Under Russian law, such records must be kept for three years, and the data must be stored inside the country. Companies that fail to comply can face fines, and persistent violations can lead to their services being banned in Russia.

Apple and Microsoft join other technology providers already on the registry, which previously included Google Meet, WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, Cloudflare and Blizzard Entertainment. Google and its Meet video service were added in January, extending the regime to another major international technology company.

Mounting pressure on foreign messaging platforms

Moscow has been tightening its grip on foreign communications platforms. Access to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and Apple's FaceTime has been restricted, affecting services used for private messages, voice calls and video chats.

Apple's growing list of disputes in Russia

The new requirement follows a series of disagreements between Apple and Russian authorities. The company suspended product sales and exports after the war in Ukraine began in 2022, and its business in the country has since shrunk, with services such as Apple Pay affected by post-invasion restrictions.

In April 2026, Russian users were barred from buying new content on the App Store or renewing subscriptions unless their Apple Account held sufficient funds. In June 2026, the Kremlin demanded an explanation after Apple removed certain apps belonging to VK, the state-controlled technology company. Around the same time, Apple also pulled banking apps linked to Russian financial institutions under international sanctions.

In August 2026, Russia's competition authority opened an investigation into Apple for not preloading the state-backed MAX messaging service and the RuStore app store on its devices. The case relates to software distribution requirements Russia imposes on technology companies operating in its domestic market.

No response from the companies yet

Neither Apple nor Microsoft has publicly said how it will handle the new obligations. It also remains unclear whether the companies will cooperate with Russian authorities, or whether inclusion in the registry will affect their existing services or business operations in the country.