WhatsApp is now fully blocked in Russia

Source: Engadget

Background

After warnings from lawmakers last year, WhatsApp has been blocked in Russia for as many as 100 million users, the Financial Times reported. Russian authorities removed the app from an online directory, effectively wiping it from Russia’s internet. The government has previously said that it wants users to switch to an app called Max, an unencrypted WeChat clone.

“Today the Russian government has attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive users to a state‑owned surveillance app,” Meta told the FT in a statement. “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.”

Government Actions

• The Russian government deleted the WhatsApp rival Telegram yesterday, while also erasing Meta apps Facebook and Instagram.
• Access to YouTube was also reportedly degraded, though it is unclear if the platform has been completely removed.

In July 2025, a Russian lawmaker who regulates the IT industry said it was very likely that WhatsApp would be placed on a list of restricted software. Parent company Meta has been designated as an extremist organization in Russia, and last year President Vladimir Putin issued a directive to further restrict communication apps originating from “unfriendly countries” that have sanctioned Russia.

Official Rationale

The state claims that an in‑house app would protect citizens from fraud and terrorism, citing the large number of scammers on WhatsApp in the nation.

Domestic Reaction

Restrictions on Telegram have been unpopular, even among Putin’s allies, because residents along Ukraine’s borders rely on it for 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 of those regions.