The updated work of the proxy in the "VKontakte" mobile apps is aimed to collect personal data of the citizens of Ukraine by Russian special services

Intensification of Russian social Medias on the eve of the elections may pose a threat to national security of the state. This was stated by Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Serhii Demediuk, commenting on the information on the resumption of work of "VKontakte" mobile apps in the territory of Ukraine, whose representatives claimed that they succeeded in bypassing the interlock in our country.

According to him, after the applying sanctions against the "VKontakte" social media, Ukrainian law enforcement officers are taking measures to ensure the implementation of sanction restriction. At the same time, the special services of the Russian Federation using the capabilities of software developers seek new methods how to circumvent sanctions. In particular, the work of the proxy in the mobile apps recently was updated again and access to the "VKontakte" social media was provided to Ukrainian users.

"Since sanctions application, we observe the periodic dissemination of information about the resumption of access to this social media in Ukraine, even despite the unstable proxy operation. We are sure that this application is used by the Russian special services to collect personal data on citizens of Ukraine and everybody who has it installed it", - S. Demediuk said.

He also added that the purpose of the application’s activation is not to provide the users with access to the social media without using additional services to circumvent the sanctions, but to collect personal data of Ukrainian citizens and disseminate disinformation to influence public opinion and manipulate it. "Such actions are usually carried out on the eve of significant events. Today it is holding of local elections in Ukraine", - the Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said.

Specialists of the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine cooperate with international colleagues and partners to develop measures to respond and block the "VKontakte" mobile apps in Ukraine.

On May 15, 2017 the Decree of the President of Ukraine of 15.05.2017 №133 enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated on April 28, 2017 "On the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)", according to which some Russian web resources, in particular the "VKontakte" social media, were blocked in the territory of Ukraine. On May 14, 2020, by the Decree of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky №184 these sanctions were prolonged.