Yazılar

Russian Parliament Supports New State Messaging App to Rival WhatsApp and Telegram

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Russian lawmakers voted on Tuesday in favor of developing a government-backed messaging app aimed at reducing the country’s reliance on foreign platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. The app will be closely integrated with state services, reflecting Moscow’s ongoing push for digital sovereignty.

Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the parliament’s information policy committee and author of the draft legislation, said the new platform will provide messaging, voice calls, and other features beyond those offered by Telegram and Meta’s WhatsApp. “The main competitive advantage of the platform will be the deep integration with government services,” Gorelkin wrote on Telegram.

The legislation still requires approval by the upper house of parliament and the signature of President Vladimir Putin to become law.

Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev recently proposed integrating government services with a national messaging app during a meeting with Putin, highlighting Russia’s lag behind other countries in this area. State-controlled tech firm VK, operator of the VKontakte social network used by nearly 80 million Russians daily, has been investing heavily in homegrown services like VK Video, a local alternative to YouTube.

VK reported a significant loss of 94.9 billion roubles ($1.21 billion) in 2024 amid efforts to expand content and improve technology.

Meanwhile, YouTube’s daily audience in Russia plunged from over 40 million users in mid-2024 to fewer than 10 million recently, partly due to slower download speeds. Russian officials blamed Google for neglecting investment in local infrastructure and not restoring blocked Russian channels. Google denied causing any technical issues.

Mikhail Klimarev, director of the Russian Internet Protection Society, warned on Telegram that the government might deliberately slow WhatsApp and Telegram to boost the new app’s adoption, raising concerns about potential infringements on personal freedoms.

Sanctioned Russian Crypto Exchange Garantex Suspends Services After Tether Blocks Wallets

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Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex announced on Thursday that stablecoin Tether had blocked digital wallets on its platform, which collectively held over 2.5 billion roubles ($28 million). This move has forced Garantex to suspend operations just days after being sanctioned by the European Union.

The EU included Garantex in its 16th sanctions package on February 24, accusing the platform of being closely linked to Russian banks already under EU sanctions and playing a role in circumventing these sanctions. In a statement on Telegram, Garantex expressed frustration, stating, “We have bad news. Tether has entered the war against the Russian crypto market.”

When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Tether referred Reuters to the U.S. Secret Service, offering no additional details on the matter.

Garantex confirmed it was halting all services, including cryptocurrency withdrawals, and vowed to continue fighting against the sanctions. “Please note that all USDT held in Russian wallets is now under threat,” the exchange warned.

As access to the U.S. dollar and the SWIFT global payment network has been restricted, many Russians have turned to cryptocurrencies to bypass these financial limitations, with the central bank permitting businesses to use cryptocurrencies for international trade.

The U.S. had previously labeled Garantex as a “ransomware-enabling virtual currency exchange” when imposing sanctions on the platform in April 2022, accusing it of facilitating illicit activities.

Russian lawmaker Anton Gorelkin responded to the latest sanctions, accusing Western nations of pursuing political motives. He assured that this would not be the last attempt to target Russia’s cryptocurrency infrastructure but stressed that cryptocurrencies remain a key tool for circumventing sanctions, despite Tether’s actions.