Russia Russian authority threatens Whatsapp with complete blocking
Following previous restrictions, the Russian telecommunications authority Roskomnadzor has now threatened to completely block Whatsapp in Russia. If the messenger service does not meet the requirements of Russian legislation, it will be blocked, the state news agency Tass quoted a statement from Roskomnadzor.
28.11.2025, 19:11
SDA
The authority has already argued in the past that criminals were using WhatsApp for blackmail, fraud and the involvement of Russian citizens in acts of sabotage.
Foreign messengers to be replaced
Calls via Whatsapp and Telegram have long been restricted in Russia, and the encrypted service Signal and the messenger Viber were already blocked in 2024. Foreign messengers are to be replaced by the state's preferred app Max, which critics fear will allow the authorities to access data.
Moscow has increasingly tightened control and censorship on the internet, especially since the large-scale invasion of Ukraine began more than three and a half years ago. In the summer, parliament decided that even searching for information that the authorities have classified as "extremist" will be punished with a fine of up to 5,000 roubles. Internet resources that criticize the power apparatus, such as the anti-corruption fund of Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny, who died in custody, are particularly branded as "extremist".
