In October 2024, the applications of two popular Russian services, Rutube and Avito, suddenly disappeared from the Google Play store. This was the result of Google's tightening policy on compliance with new Russian requirements for applications that are distributed through their platform. Rutube, as one of the main video hosting companies in Russia, faced restrictions related to local laws on digital content. Avito, the largest classifieds site, has also been hit by this new policy.

The removal of applications has caused a wave of discussions, especially among Russian users and IT experts. Many are wondering how this will affect the availability of popular platforms and how much such decisions will affect the ecosystem of applications in Russia. Users can still download these applications directly from the developers' websites, but the absence of Google Play makes it difficult to update and secure programs.

The problem is complicated by the fact that Rutube and Avito play a significant role in the digital life of Russians. Rutube is used to view content that is not always available on other video platforms, and Avito remains a key tool for private and business ads. In this situation, Google is forced to maneuver between compliance with international standards and local regulations, which creates precedents for future actions concerning IT companies in Russia.