The Russian app store, RuStore, will no longer be owned by VK. Its management team has decided to buy it out themselves.
The new owner of RuStore will be Dmitry Pankrushev, the CEO of the team that developed the app store. VK's announcement of the agreement lacked details, so it is unknown how the store is valued or when the deal is expected to close.
It has been stated that the change of ownership will not affect RuStore's operations.
“The RuStore team will continue to actively implement product updates, flexibly develop functionalities, and ensure the stable operation of the app store for users, developers, and partners," VK declared.
To recap, VK launched RuStore with support from the Ministry of Digital Development of Russia in May 2022. By the first quarter of 2026, the store had 65.8 million monthly active users. VK's recent reports also showed a steady growth in RuStore's revenue, though the exact amount was not disclosed.
In mid-July, the European Union added VK to its sanctions list, and shortly before, the company's apps were removed from the App Store. It's possible that the sale of RuStore is related to these events, but VK did not provide any explanations.