WhatsApp, Telegram blocked in Russia, pushing millions towards state-backed alternative

WhatsApp

• WhatsApp blocked in Russia, affecting up to 100 million users
• Move pushes users toward state-backed Max messaging app
• Telegram also restricted; Facebook and Instagram remain banned

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WhatsApp has been blocked in Russia for as many as 100 million users, according to a report by the Financial Times, marking one of the most sweeping crackdowns yet on foreign communication platforms.

Russian authorities removed the app from an official online directory, a move that effectively renders WhatsApp inaccessible across the country. The decision follows months of warnings from lawmakers and comes amid sustained pressure on users to migrate to a domestic messaging service called Max, which has been described as an unencrypted WeChat-style app backed by the state.

Meta, which owns WhatsApp, said the move was aimed at forcing Russians onto a government-controlled platform. “Today the Russian government has attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive users to a state-owned surveillance app,” the company told the Financial Times. “Trying to isolate over 100 million people from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.”

The WhatsApp block comes alongside further restrictions on other major platforms. Russian authorities have also removed Telegram, while Meta’s Facebook and Instagram remain banned after the company was designated an extremist organisation. Access to YouTube has reportedly been degraded, although it remains unclear whether the platform has been fully removed.

The groundwork for the WhatsApp ban was laid last year, when a senior Russian lawmaker overseeing the IT sector said the app was likely to be placed on a list of restricted software. That warning followed a directive from President Vladimir Putin calling for tighter controls on communication tools originating from so-called “unfriendly countries” that have imposed sanctions on Russia.

The Kremlin has framed its actions as a security measure, arguing that a domestically developed messaging app would better protect citizens from fraud and terrorism. WhatsApp has been repeatedly criticised by officials for hosting large volumes of scam activity.

However, the broader clampdown has sparked unease at home, particularly over restrictions on Telegram. Even figures aligned with the government have warned of unintended consequences. In regions bordering Ukraine, Telegram has become a critical source of drone and missile alerts.

“I am concerned that slowing Telegram could affect the flow of information, if the situation deteriorates,” said the governor of one such region, highlighting the tension between state control and public reliance on these platforms.