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.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the United States will 'help' Russia after a laboratory worker died at a plague research institut...
Türkiye and Pakistan are to deploy military personnel to Saudi Arabia, after the three countries agreed to activate their joint defence p...
The United States has warned foreign financial institutions that continued dealings with Iran's banking sec...
Australian counterterrorism authorities are examining the links of the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to take control of a flydubai flight bound for Israel. Authorities in New Zealand have also said they are investigating reports the suspect had spent time in that country.
Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's first-round vote with a slight lead over the incumbent.
Iran's Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, with Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), appointed as acting oil minister, according to Iranian state media.
Candidates elected to Bosnia and Herzegovina's three-member presidency declared victory after preliminary unofficial results showed Denis Becirovic leading the Bosniak seat, Darijana Filipovic ahead in the Croat seat and Zeljka Cvijanovic likely retaining the Serb seat.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States meets seven conditions agreed under a June memorandum, as President Donald Trump signals he may soon decide whether to resume military operations against Tehran.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the United States will 'help' Russia after a laboratory worker died at a plague research institute in Siberia.
The United States has warned foreign financial institutions that continued dealings with Iran's banking sector could expose them to sanctions, signalling a tougher approach as Washington seeks to further isolate Tehran from the global financial system.
Forces aligned with Yemen's internationally recognised government have recaptured significant stretches of the Red Sea coast near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, marking one of their most important advances since fighting resumed earlier this year and dealing a setback to the Iran-backed Houthis.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of a deadly drone strike on a Türkiye-owned cargo ship in the Black Sea, killing its captain and endangering a civilian crew that included Azerbaijani and Indian nationals.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 5 October 2026. These are the top five elections making headlines around the world.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment