Russia has ordered the block of WhatsApp as part of its ongoing crackdown on messaging apps, with the Kremlin seeking to push users towards a state-backed surveillance app, reports BBC
Meta-owned WhatsApp confirmed the move, which affects over 100 million users in Russia. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov explained that the decision was due to WhatsApp’s failure to comply with Russian laws.
He said Meta could resume operations if it adhered to legal requirements and engaged in dialogue with Russian authorities.
Asked whether the aim was to force Russian users onto the state-developed Max app, Peskov responded that the “national messenger” was an “available alternative” for users.
Meanwhile, Russia’s internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, has also imposed further restrictions on Telegram, citing security concerns.
Telegram, popular in Russia and widely used by Russian forces in Ukraine, has been a target of complaints from pro-war bloggers, who say the restrictions are hampering communication on the ground.
The push for domestic alternatives like Max has intensified since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with the government promoting the app through TV ads and billboards.
Critics argue that Max could be used for surveillance, a claim that state media has denied. Despite these claims, the app is becoming more widespread in Russia, with Max now mandated on all new devices sold in the country.
Russia has also made efforts to remove foreign websites from the National System of Domain Names (NSDI), managed by Roskomnadzor. Among those removed are YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp Web, Instagram, and major news outlets like the BBC and Deutsche Welle. These websites are now inaccessible without a VPN.
Authorities have pointed to WhatsApp’s failure to store Russian users’ data domestically and its alleged role in defrauding and extorting money as reasons for the block.
In response, WhatsApp said that the move would hinder secure communication for Russian users, calling it a “backwards step” that could increase risks.
Russia’s efforts to push users towards Max are part of a broader strategy to develop a closed, state-controlled digital ecosystem.
The app is often compared to China’s WeChat, a “super app” that integrates messaging with government services, and it has been increasingly required for public sector employees, teachers, and students.
Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has criticized the move, saying it aims to force citizens to use the state app for surveillance and political control.
He said that a similar strategy has been attempted in Iran, where citizens have found ways to bypass the restrictions.
“Restricting citizens’ freedom is never the right answer,” Durov wrote.
