Russia has ordered a block on WhatsApp, pushing its users toward a state-backed messaging app amid tighter internet controls.
Russia has moved to block Meta-owned WhatsApp, as the Kremlin continues to tighten restrictions on foreign messaging platforms. Meta said the decision is aimed at pushing more than 100 million Russian users toward a “state-owned surveillance app.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the BBC the move was made “due to [Meta’s] unwillingness to comply with the norms and the letter of Russian law,” adding that the company could resume operations if it “complies with [the law] and enters into dialogue.”
The Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor has also curbed access to the messaging app Telegram, citing security concerns, though the platform remains widely used, including by Russian forces in Ukraine. Peskov suggested that the state-developed Max app is an alternative, describing it as “available” for Russians, while critics warn it could be used for government surveillance. Meta responded, saying: “Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.”
The push toward domestic platforms predates Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 but has accelerated during the war. Russian authorities argue that both WhatsApp and Telegram have refused to store Russian users’ data locally and claim WhatsApp is widely used for fraud and extortion. State media have promoted Max through advertisements, local officials, and media campaigns, while some Russian officials, like Andrei Svintsov, insist that “such harsh measures” are “absolutely justified” since Meta has been designated an extremist organisation.
NEWS NOW:
