WhatsApp has accused Moscow of attempting to block millions of Russians from accessing secure communication after calls on the messaging app were restricted. The move comes as Russia promotes home-grown social media platforms and seeks tighter control over the country’s internet.
On Wednesday, Russia said it had started limiting some WhatsApp and Telegram calls, alleging that the foreign-owned platforms failed to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases. Text messaging and voice notes remain unaffected.
“WhatsApp is private, end-to-end encrypted, and defies government attempts to violate people’s right to secure communication, which is why Russia is trying to block it from over 100 million Russian people,” the company said, pledging to maintain encrypted services in Russia.
The restrictions follow a broader pattern of Russia clashing with foreign tech firms since its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Meta’s Facebook and Instagram were blocked, YouTube speeds slowed, and numerous fines were issued to platforms that did not comply with Russian content and data regulations.
In July 2025, WhatsApp had a monthly reach of 97.3 million users in Russia, compared with 90.8 million for Telegram and 17.9 million for VK Messenger, a state-backed app. Russia’s population exceeds 140 million. Reports from online monitoring services and local media indicated connectivity issues in regions like Krasnodar, affecting services such as online maps.
The restrictions coincide with the promotion of a state-controlled messaging app, MAX, which is being integrated with government services. Critics warn that MAX could track user activity. Senior politicians are actively migrating to the app, encouraging followers to join.
“Ultimately, they want to control users and the information they receive,” said Mikhail Klimarev, director of the Internet Protection Society, a Russian digital rights group. He added that MAX may struggle to handle a large influx of users and that social resistance to forced migration is likely.
Human Rights Watch highlighted that Russia has been “meticulously expanding [its] legal and technological tools to carve out Russia’s section of the internet into a tightly controlled and isolated forum.” A new law approved by lawmakers further tightens censorship, penalizing citizens for searching online content deemed “extremist,” including through VPNs used to bypass internet blocks.