Russia attempted to block the messaging app WhatsApp in an effort to push users toward the government-aligned social communications app Max, a spokesperson for Meta said Wednesday.
Meta did not provide further details on how successful the blocking attempt was or what specific measures Russian authorities used. However, some domain names associated with WhatsApp disappeared Wednesday from Russia’s national domain registry.
According to WhatsApp, the effort to cut off more than 100 million people from private and secure communications represents a step backward and would ultimately make people in Russia less safe. The company said it will continue doing everything possible to keep users connected.
The move aligns with the Kremlin’s goal of creating a "sovereign internet" — an online space disconnected from Western technology and foreign influence and subject to greater state control. It comes amid a broader campaign by Russian authorities against Western social media platforms. Instagram and Facebook have been blocked in Russia since 2022 and are accessible only via virtual private networks, or VPNs. In December, access to Snapchat was also blocked and restrictions were imposed on Apple’s FaceTime video calling service.
Earlier this week, authorities began disrupting Telegram services, which are used daily by more than 60 million Russians, again claiming the platform is insufficiently secure. After users reported slower traffic and delays in downloading videos and images, Telegram founder Pavel Durov, the Russian-born billionaire who resides in Dubai, criticized the Russian authorities.
Russia, he said, was limiting access to its services in an attempt to force residents to use a state-controlled app for surveillance and political censorship. "Restricting citizens’ freedom is never the right answer," he added. "Telegram stands for freedom of expression and privacy."
Russian officials say both WhatsApp and Telegram have refused to comply with domestic laws requiring them to store Russian users’ data within the country.
The government-backed Max app is largely based on the popular Chinese platform WeChat and has about 55 million users across Russia. In August last year, the Russian government required importers to pre-install the app on all new devices sold in the country. Public sector employees, as well as teachers and students, have been instructed to use the platform. Critics argue the app could be used to monitor users.
According to the Financial Times, WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging service in Russia, with at least 100 million users in the country. Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has repeatedly warned the company that it must "comply with local legislation" to prevent cases of fraud and terrorism.
In December, Roskomnadzor announced it was taking "new measures" to gradually restrict the app, citing violations of the law and alleging that it was being used to "organize and carry out terrorist activities on Russian territory, recruit their perpetrators and commit fraud and other crimes."
Asked Wednesday whether WhatsApp could return to Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian news agency TASS: "If Meta enters into dialogue with the Russian authorities, then we have the possibility of reaching an agreement. If it remains uncompromising and is not prepared to align with Russian legislation, then there is no chance."