Gambiaj.com – (MOSCOW – Russia) – Russia has completely blocked U.S.-owned messaging platform WhatsApp for failing to comply with local legislation, the Kremlin confirmed on Thursday, in a move that deepens Moscow’s standoff with foreign technology companies.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the decision followed Meta Platforms’ alleged refusal to adhere to Russian legal requirements.
“Due to Meta’s unwillingness to comply with Russian law, such a decision was indeed made and implemented,” Peskov said, urging citizens to migrate to MAX, a state-owned messaging application.
“MAX is an accessible alternative, a developing messenger, a national messenger, and it is available on the market for citizens as an alternative,” he added.
Meta Condemns Move
Meta, which owns WhatsApp and has already been designated an extremist organization in Russia, described the move as an attempt to drive users toward a state-controlled platform.
“Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app,” the company said in a statement.
“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.”
Following the ban, domain names associated with WhatsApp reportedly disappeared from Russia’s national register, preventing devices inside the country from receiving the app’s IP addresses. As a result, access is now largely limited to users employing virtual private networks (VPNs).
Russia’s state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, did not immediately comment on the development.
Escalating Restrictions
The full block comes after months of mounting pressure on WhatsApp. In August, Russian authorities began restricting phone calls on the platform, accusing foreign-owned messaging services of failing to share information with law enforcement in cases involving fraud and terrorism.
In December, Roskomnadzor announced additional measures to gradually limit the app’s functionality, alleging that WhatsApp continued to violate Russian laws and was being used “to organise and carry out terrorist acts on the territory of the country, to recruit their perpetrators and to commit fraud and other crimes.”
Russian courts have repeatedly fined WhatsApp for failing to remove banned content. Authorities have also insisted that the company open a local representative office in Russia, a requirement it has not fulfilled.
Since late last year, many Russians have relied on VPNs to access WhatsApp, while others have shifted to alternative platforms such as Telegram. However, some of these services are also facing regulatory pressure.
Push for “Sovereign” Communications
The action against WhatsApp reflects a broader Kremlin effort, intensified during the war period, to establish a “sovereign” communications infrastructure in which foreign technology companies either comply with domestic regulations or exit the market.
Russian authorities have previously restricted or blocked several Western platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube. In December, Apple’s FaceTime video calling service was also blocked.
The state has heavily promoted MAX, which integrates various government-related services. Critics argue the app could serve as a surveillance tool, though officials deny the allegations, describing the platform as a means of simplifying access to public services and improving daily life for citizens.
The messaging dispute also comes amid reports that Telegram experienced slow traffic and lagging downloads earlier this week. Roskomnadzor warned of potential restrictions for alleged non-compliance, prompting Telegram’s Russian-born founder Pavel Durov to declare that the platform “stands for freedom and privacy, no matter the pressure.”
The blocking of WhatsApp marks one of the most significant moves yet in Russia’s tightening grip over digital communications, affecting tens of millions of users and further isolating the country’s online ecosystem from Western technology platforms.
