VK has agreed to sell 100% of its app store RuStore, the company said. The buyer is Dmitry Pankrushev, the CEO of the platform's developer.
The transaction amount was not disclosed. VK said RuStore will continue operating normally during the transition period.
RuStore was created as a domestic alternative to Google and Apple stores after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, when both companies restricted access for Russian users. Last year, the Russian government mandated that RuStore be pre-installed on all smartphones sold in the country.
The sale comes as the European Union this week added VK to its sanctions list over the company's role in creating the Kremlin-backed messenger Max.
According to VK, RuStore now hosts more than 110,000 apps and games, with a monthly audience of 68 million users.
Earlier this year, RuStore was at the center of a scandal: media reported that the store allegedly tracked users by simultaneously collecting GPS data, cell tower information, and data on nearby mobile base stations. It was also alleged that the app accessed installed programs and photo galleries and downloaded software without explicit user consent. RuStore denied the accusations, saying all requested permissions were standard industry practice.