Russian authorities have effectively shut down access to WhatsApp, cutting off millions of users from the encrypted messaging platform in what analysts describe as one of the country’s most sweeping internet restrictions to date.
The move follows months of pressure aimed at steering citizens toward a state-controlled messaging service.
Regulators removed the Meta-owned app from Russia’s official internet registry, a step that makes it extremely difficult to use without technical workarounds. Observers say the action signals a long-term — possibly permanent — ban rather than the earlier tactic of slowing the service to disrupt functionality.
WhatsApp condemned the decision, stating that blocking secure communication tools undermines public safety and isolates more than 100 million users who previously relied on the platform. Russian authorities have already labeled Meta’s Facebook and Instagram as extremist organizations, restricting their use to virtual private networks.
The restrictions appear tied to Moscow’s push for a domestic alternative called Max, a multifunction platform modeled on China’s WeChat. Unlike WhatsApp, the service reportedly lacks end-to-end encryption and is owned by VK, a major Russian social network closely linked to the Kremlin.
Telegram, another widely used messaging app in Russia, has also faced disruptions. Founder Pavel Durov criticized the tightening controls, warning that limiting communication platforms threatens freedom of expression. Even some regional officials expressed concern that slowing messaging services could hinder the flow of urgent information, especially in border areas affected by the war in Ukraine.
Russia has gradually tightened its control over digital platforms since last year, including throttling call features and drastically reducing connection speeds. Analysts view the latest step as part of a broader strategy to consolidate state oversight of online communications.
