Starting June 12, VK will discontinue free access to its email platform for third-party applications. According to CNews, Mail.ru email users will now need a Mail Space subscription for 199 rubles per month to continue using desktop clients via POP3, IMAP, and SMTP protocols.
Yandex, in turn, is introducing a similar restriction for its service starting June 29 – access to these same protocols will be closed without a "Yandex 360" plan, costing from 319 rubles.
This decision effectively means abandoning open standards for most users. Without a paid subscription, email will only be accessible through the web interface or the official mobile application. The main impact will be on those who are accustomed to aggregating dozens of mailboxes in one program – Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, The Bat, and other clients that have been the standard for advanced users and businesses for decades.