Jakarta, INTI - Russia has blocked WhatsApp, following its earlier bans on Facebook and Instagram, both owned by US based Meta.
Quoted by BBC, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told the BBC that the decision was made because Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, refused to comply with Russian legal norms and regulations.
He said Meta could resume operations if it abides by Russian law and engages in dialogue with the Russian government.
When asked whether authorities were attempting to push Russian citizens toward using the state-developed Max application, Peskov said the national messaging app is simply an alternative available to the public.
Russia’s internet watchdog, Roskomnadzor, announced this week that it would further restrict access to Telegram, citing security concerns. Telegram remains highly popular in Russia and is reportedly widely used by Russian troops in Ukraine.
State news agency TASS reported earlier this year that WhatsApp is expected to be permanently blocked in the country by 2026.
“Such a crackdown is fully justified, as Russia has designated Meta as an extremist organization,” said Russian official Andrei Svintsov, as quoted by TASS.
Pro-war bloggers have complained that the move hampers communication on the ground.
Push Toward State-Backed Alternatives
Even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russian authorities had begun efforts to create domestic alternatives to the global internet. These efforts accelerated during the war, alongside the promotion of the state-backed platform Max.
Critics suspect that Max could be used for surveillance by Russian authorities, although state media deny the claim. The platform is now being widely promoted across Russia through television advertisements, billboards, and endorsements by local officials and media outlets.
Russia argues that both WhatsApp and Telegram have refused to store Russian user data within the country, as required by law.
Authorities in Moscow have also accused WhatsApp of being one of the primary platforms used to defraud and extort money from Russian citizens.
WhatsApp, which is based in the United States, said the Russian government’s move is aimed at pushing its more than 100 million users in Russia toward a state-owned application.
“Efforts to isolate more than 100 million users from private and secure communication are a step backward and will only result in reduced security for people in Russia,” the company said in a written statement.
WhatsApp was previously the most popular messaging service in Russia. However, since Meta was designated an extremist organization in 2022, its platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have been blocked in Russia and are accessible only through virtual private networks (VPNs). Russian citizens are not prohibited from using its products.
The digital rights project Na Svyazi (In Touch) reported that Russia has increasingly removed websites from the state-managed internet address directory controlled by Roskomnadzor.
It noted that 13 popular resources have now disappeared from the National Domain Name System (NSDI), including YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp Web, Instagram, BBC, and Deutsche Welle. Once an entry is removed, the site cannot be accessed without a VPN.
Conclusion
Russia’s decision to block WhatsApp reflects a broader strategy to tighten digital sovereignty, enforce data localization laws, and strengthen control over online communication channels. While officials frame the move as a legal and security measure, critics see it as part of a deeper shift toward state-controlled digital infrastructure. As geopolitical tensions persist, the battle over digital platforms increasingly mirrors wider political and information control dynamics.
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