• ‘National messenger’ to be pre-installed on devices

• New app is being integrated with government services

• Critics say it’s a spy app, state media deny that

• WhatsApp and Telegram are under regulatory pressure

MOSCOW, Aug 21 (Reuters) - A Russian state-backed messenger application called MAX, a rival to WhatsApp that critics say could be used to track users, must be pre-installed on all mobile phones and tablets from next month, the Russian government said on Thursday.

The decision to promote MAX comes as Moscow is seeking greater control over the internet space as it is locked in a standoff with the West over Ukraine, which it casts as part of an attempt to shape a new world order.