Russia takes steps to restrict WhatsApp access
By Alimat Aliyeva
Russia has removed Meta-owned WhatsApp from its official online registry, effectively blocking the messaging service that until recently was used by around 100 million Russian users, the Financial Times reported, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.
Since last summer, Russian authorities have been imposing “partial restrictions” on both WhatsApp and Telegram, affecting voice calls. By December, WhatsApp’s performance had reportedly slowed by 70% to 80%, according to Russian media.
“Today, the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to push people toward a state-owned surveillance app,” WhatsApp said, referring to the authorities’ promotion of the rival app MAX. “We continue to do everything we can to keep our users connected,” the company added on X.
While WhatsApp faces these restrictions, Russians have increasingly turned to VPNs and other secure messaging apps to bypass government controls. Analysts note that such measures may accelerate the adoption of encrypted platforms, potentially reshaping the country’s digital communication landscape.
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