Russian Email Giant Takes Over VKontakte, 'Russia's Facebook'

Russian mail provider Mail.Ru, which is majority owned by Russia's richest man and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, has taken full control of the country's Facebook equivalent VKontakte on Tuesday.

Mail.Ru announced the acquisition of the remaining 48% of VKontakte (also known as VK) — the part which it still didn't control — for $1.47 billion. The deal gives Mail.Ru full control of Russia's largest social network, and gives its owner, Alisher Usmanov, more control over the company. This renews concerns that what was once a platform for dissent and independent voices will now be under the influence of Putin's tightening grip on Internet freedom in Russia Read more...

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