Russia is building an alternative to the Google Play Store.

The alternative platform for buying apps is scheduled to launch on May 9, the organization behind the initiative said.

On this national holiday, Russia celebrates victory in World War II every year.

The so-called "Nash Store" should enable payments with Russian bank cards.

In this way, the sanctions due to the attack on Ukraine could be circumvented.

Bastian Benrath

Editor in Business.

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The background is that Google no longer allows payments from Russia.

The American group suspended all services in Russia that involve payments this month due to sanctions against Russian banks.

Since then, only free apps can be downloaded from the Russian Play Store, which limits the choice for users.

With this, Russian developers lost one of their sources of income.

Other tech companies such as the software manufacturer Oracle, the games group EA and the streaming service Spotify have also stopped doing business in Russia because of the war of aggression, as have the credit card providers Visa and Mastercard.

Since then, Russian maps no longer work outside of Russia.

The Mir cards, which are common in Russia, are to be accepted in the Nash Store.

Behind it is an IT consultant who is loyal to the Kremlin

Nash Store means "our store" in German.

Behind him is the organization "Digital Platforms", which describes itself as a non-profit organization.

Its relationship with the Russian state is unclear, but it is likely that the development of the alternative app store is a Kremlin-sponsored project.

Digital Platforms General Director Arseniy Schchelzin works as an IT consultant in several official bodies, including the Russian Parliament and several ministries.

Among its partners, the organization primarily lists state institutions.

She also compiles a directory of Russian alternatives to Western digital services.

According to the project manager of the Nash Store project Vladimir Zykov, 700 companies are cooperating with the project of a Russian app store.

Any business can apply for inclusion in the Nash Store through the Digital Platforms website.

"At a time when Russia is under intense pressure from Western companies, the task of public organizations and associations is to do everything possible to ensure that Russian companies and citizens have domestic alternatives," Zykov said in a statement.

In this context, Schchelzin also referred to the app gallery of the Chinese provider Huawei.

It, too, is helping to “dilute the dominant and monopolistic position of the operating system app stores, mainly Android”.