They ran Russian developer Ashot Gabrelyanov through the app to "teach him a lesson"...not much difference. MakeApp’s controversy goes beyond the app itself. Several news sites have pointed out Gabrelynanov’s past as a prominent figure in Russian media. Business Insider characterized Gabrelynanov as a “pro-Russia propagandist.” The outlet also pointed to a 2013 Moscow Times article that said the app creator and his father ran media network LifeNews, which has ties to the Kremlin. In 2015, a Mashable article called Gabrelynanov a “pro-Putin media darling.”