11 years ago: Russia’s largest social network was launched

On Oct. 10, 2006, 22-year-old St. Petersburg native Pavel Durov (Russia’s own Mark Zuckerberg) launched a social network called VK.com. Today, it has more than 400 million members.

The social network has won many plaudits, and had its run-ins with the authorities, especially involving copyright violations with Russian musicians. In 2013 Durov launched a new messaging app, Telegram, and in 2014 he left his position with Vkontakte and emigrated from Russia.

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