Russia has fully blocked WhatsApp for failing to comply with local legislation, the Kremlin said on Thursday, marking a sharp escalation in Moscow’s campaign to tighten control over foreign technology platforms.
The move marks the culmination of months of pressure on the U.S. company and reflects a wider push by Russian authorities to create what they describe as a “sovereign” communications infrastructure in which foreign-owned technology companies must comply with local legislation or leave the market.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the decision had been “taken and implemented” due to Meta’s unwillingness to comply with Russian law. He suggested Russians switch to MAX, a state-backed “national messenger”.
“MAX is an accessible alternative, a developing messenger, a national messenger and it is available on the market for citizens as an alternative,” Peskov said.
Meta said the move would isolate more than 100 million users in Russia from private and secure communication, and previously described earlier actions by Moscow as an attempt to push users towards a state-owned alternative.
Some domain names associated with WhatsApp were removed from Russia’s national internet registry, meaning devices inside Russia stopped receiving the app’s IP addresses and the service could only be accessed using a virtual private network.
Last year, Roskomnadzor began restricting certain functions on WhatsApp and Telegram, making it impossible to complete some calls after accusing foreign-owned platforms of refusing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases. Telegram has also faced slowdowns and regulatory pressure, though it remains accessible.
Telegram’s Russian-born founder Pavel Durov has previously said the platform remains committed to protecting freedom of speech and user privacy.
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Russia has accused the United States of failing to follow through on what Moscow describes as “understandings” reached between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump during their Alaska summit last year, in a sign of mounting frustration in the Kremlin.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 23 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 22 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
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Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed on a landmark internet deal that will allow traffic to pass through Azerbaijani networks.It's the latest deal to highlight the ongoing peace process between the two countries.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
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