Russian-Chinese Messenger Molniya Hits RuStore With a 750-Ruble Toll

A new contender in Russia's push to replace Western communication platforms has arrived in the local RuStore repository, but getting in requires paying upfront. The Android app, named Molniya, was built jointly by Russian software vendor Red Soft and Chinese firm Passion Tech. Downloading it costs 750 rubles.

Billed by its developers as an all-in-one platform modeled on China's WeChat, Molniya aims to bundle instant messaging, social feeds, short video clips, livestreaming, payments, and cross-border commerce into a single binary. Its store description touts privacy by default and compares its scope to VK's Max ecosystem.

Charging money for a consumer chat app is a rare move in a market dominated by free services. According to an explanation shared by Russian electronics commentator Maxim Gorshenin, the fee is a one-time purchase rather than a subscription. The developers claim the paid download model covers an "extended feature set" out of the gate, offering users higher limits on pinned chats, folders, and data transfer without additional in-app charges.

On the infrastructure side, Molniya uses domestic GOST-2021 encryption and routes user data to servers hosted in Moscow and Novosibirsk. Despite launching behind a paywall, the project has set a target of reaching 15 million users within 18 months.

Source: habr