- Russia’s communications regulator threatens to completely block WhatsApp
- The move is part of a broader crackdown on internet freedoms.
- WhatsApp is estimated to have 97 million users in Russia
Russia has intensified its crackdown on internet freedom, with the country’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor threatening an outright ban on the popular messaging service WhatsApp.
As reported by Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, the agency accused the Meta-owned platform of being used to “organize and carry out terrorist activities” and of not complying with Russian law.
This is the latest in a series of measures by the Kremlin to control the flow of information within its borders, a trend that has been increasing since the large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
While gradual restrictions against WhatsApp have already been implemented for months, including blocking voice calls since August, a complete ban would be a serious blow to digital communication in the country. This, in an environment where the use of the best VPN applications is also increasingly restricted.
In fact, WhatsApp’s estimated 97 million users in Russia would be deprived of their ability to communicate freely and securely, hampering both personal privacy and business operations. With Signal already blocked since 2024, users could be pushed toward state-controlled alternatives like the new MAX app, which experts say has “enormous surveillance potential.”
WhatsApp has so far resisted the Russian government’s demands, vowing to “continue doing everything possible to make end-to-end encrypted communication available to people everywhere, including in Russia,” PakGazette reported. The company has framed the issue as a defense of the “right to secure communication,” a stance that puts it in direct opposition to the Kremlin’s increasingly tight control over the digital sphere.
Growing digital censorship in Russia
The threat against WhatsApp is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader and systematic effort by the Russian government to silence dissent and control the online landscape.
It comes as Russia also designated Human Rights Watch as an “undesirable” organization, effectively banning its work in the country. This designation is part of a broader trend of labeling any group that criticizes the government as a threat to state security.
Since September, the Russian government has also been forcing smartphone makers to pre-install its own state-backed messaging app, MAX, raising concerns about surveillance.
The government also recently introduced a bill that would require telecommunications operators to suspend services at the request of the FSB, further consolidating state control over communication channels.
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