Russia has moved to block access to WhatsApp, escalating its campaign to tighten control over digital communications while promoting a state-backed alternative.
The decision, announced Thursday, marks the latest step in the Kremlin’s broader effort to restrict foreign messaging platforms. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, said the action appears intended to steer its more than 100 million users in Russia toward a government-developed platform that it described as a “state-owned surveillance app.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the BBC that the restriction was imposed “due to [Meta’s] unwillingness to comply with the norms and the letter of Russian law.” He added that Meta could potentially resume operations in Russia if it “complies with [the law] and enters into dialogue.”
When asked whether the government was attempting to compel citizens to adopt the domestically developed Max application, Peskov characterized the “national messenger [as an] available alternative” for users in Russia.
The country’s internet watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said earlier this week that it was also tightening access to Telegram, citing security concerns. Telegram remains one of the most widely used messaging services in Russia and is reportedly heavily relied upon by Russian forces operating in Ukraine.
Some pro-war bloggers have criticized the move, saying it has disrupted communications in the field.
Efforts to establish a sovereign alternative to the global internet began prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Since the war began, those initiatives have accelerated, accompanied by an intensified push to promote Max, a state-supported platform.
Opponents argue that Max could enable government surveillance, although state media outlets reject those claims. The app is now being aggressively marketed across Russia, with television advertising, billboards and endorsements from local officials and state-aligned media organizations.
Russian authorities maintain that both WhatsApp and Telegram have failed to comply with laws requiring the storage of Russian users’ data within the country. Officials in Moscow have also claimed that WhatsApp has become a primary tool for fraud and financial extortion, presenting this as further justification for encouraging users to migrate to Max.
In a statement, WhatsApp said it was making every effort to maintain connectivity for users. “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 company said.
Earlier this year, state news agency Tass reported that a permanent block of WhatsApp was anticipated in 2026.
Andrei Svintsov, a Russian lawmaker, was quoted as saying that “such harsh measures” were “absolutely justified,” noting that Russia designated Meta as an extremist organization in 2022.
Although WhatsApp had been the country’s most widely used messaging platform, Meta’s designation as extremist led to the blocking of Instagram and Facebook in Russia. Those services remain accessible only through virtual private networks (VPNs). Individual users are not prohibited from using Meta products.
Digital rights group Na Svyazi (In Touch) has reported an increase in the removal of websites from Russia’s state-controlled internet address directory, overseen by Roskomnadzor.
According to the organization, 13 widely used platforms are no longer listed in the National System of Domain Names (NSDI), including YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp Web, Instagram, the BBC and Deutsche Welle. Once removed from the registry, these sites cannot be accessed without a VPN.
Authorities have also intensified efforts to embed Max more deeply into daily life. Since 2025, the government has required that the application be pre-installed on all new devices sold domestically. There have been reports that public-sector employees, educators and students are increasingly expected to use the platform.
Telegram’s founder and chief executive, Russian-born entrepreneur Pavel Durov, said the government was restricting access to competing services in order to push citizens toward its own application, which he suggested could be used for surveillance and political censorship.
Durov pointed to Iran’s past attempt to block Telegram and promote a state-run alternative, noting that users there ultimately found ways to bypass the restrictions. “Restricting citizens’ freedom is never the right answer,” he said.
