Russia's VK launches RuStore for apps after exit of Western alternatives

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Russian internet company VK is seen on a wall at the company's headquarters in Moscow, Russia January 21, 2022. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

(Reuters) - Russian internet group VK launched a home-made app store on Wednesday, the latest in a Kremlin-endorsed drive to create a raft of domestic digital services to replace Western rivals.

VK, often dubbed "Russia's Facebook", said a beta version of the store, named RuStore, would be available for Android users from Wednesday.