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.
Iran has warned it will retaliate against any future U.S. attacks, saying American energy interests and infrastructure across the Gulf could become...
Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW) 2026 has begun in Azerbaijan’s capital, bringing together government representatives, business leaders, inves...
Pakistan faces a fresh test over preferential access to one of its biggest export markets as the European Union introduces a new GSP+ framework fro...
An eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau has disrupted air travel, school activities and fishing operations, with hundreds of passengers stranded at Jakarta’s main airport on Sunday.
At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, 6 September, local officials said.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that the United States must recognise that the “rules of the game” in its war against Iran had changed “before it is too late”, a day after Washington struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf.
Two Greek military pilots were killed on Saturday when an F-4 Phantom fighter jet crashed during an air show at Tanagra air base, north of Athens, officials said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow on efforts to end the Ukraine war.
U.S. special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff have held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Sunday on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A battle over the future of the European Union’s diplomatic service is deepening divisions over who controls the bloc’s foreign policy, as EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas pushes back against plans to overhaul her service.
The Strait of Hormuz is moving into a more complicated stage of the U.S.-Iran war. Tehran says it will establish a new restricted maritime zone around the waterway, while Iran and Oman are preparing to formalise a separate shipping route intended to restore at least part of commercial traffic.
The European Union is preparing to boost investment in Greenland, as Brussels moves to deepen political and economic ties with the Arctic territory amid growing strategic competition involving the U.S., Russia and China.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said a newly commissioned destroyer will become part of the country's nuclear response system, capable of delivering what he described as “annihilating retaliatory strikes”.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment