The Russian government has initiated a comprehensive effort to restrict access to popular messaging services, with WhatsApp being the latest platform targeted. Over 100 million users in Russia are now cut off from the Meta-owned encrypted messaging app as authorities move to tighten digital control.

This crackdown follows recent restrictions on Telegram, indicating a broader strategy to steer the population toward the government-supported Max Messenger app. The suspension of WhatsApp was publicly confirmed by the platform itself through a post on X, where it was stated that Russian officials attempted to entirely block the app in an effort to promote a national surveillance tool. WhatsApp criticized this move as a regressive step that compromises user safety and pledged to support Russian users by enabling circumvention methods such as VPNs.

Signs of the impending blockage appeared earlier in the week when Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, removed the domains whatsapp.com and web.whatsapp.com from the country’s internal DNS system, known as the NSDI, introduced in 2021. This removal effectively made the app inaccessible within Russia unless users employed external DNS resolvers, VPNs, or other workarounds to bypass the restrictions.

Officially, the government justified the measures by alleging that WhatsApp and Telegram facilitate criminal activities, including fraud and terrorism. However, experts suggest that due to technical limitations within Roskomnadzor’s infrastructure, authorities are unable to block multiple high-traffic platforms simultaneously, leading them to prioritize certain services over others.

WhatsApp, operated by Meta Platforms Inc., remains under scrutiny as it is classified as an extremist organization and banned in Russia. The company has consistently emphasized its commitment to end-to-end encryption and user privacy, opposing government demands to weaken security measures, which they argue are incompatible with their mission and international standards for secure communication.

This latest development is part of a broader effort to tighten digital oversight, which has intensified over the past year. Earlier restrictions included limiting voice and video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, regional service bans, and the blocking of platforms like FaceTime and Snapchat. Recently, Telegram has experienced significant slowdowns, with users in major cities reporting degraded service quality.

At the heart of Russia’s digital consolidation is the Max app, a Kremlin-backed messaging platform developed by VK. Since a September 2025 mandate requiring all smartphones sold in Russia to come pre-installed with Max, the platform has seen rapid growth in user numbers.

Expert John Scott-Railton from Citizen Lab describes Russia’s actions as the most extensive effort yet by any government to centralize communication channels under a surveillance-friendly system. He warns that this “digital iron curtain” could lead to the monopolization of personal communications, which would be subject to state monitoring on an unprecedented scale.

For the present, millions of Russian users are likely to rely on circumvention tools such as VPNs, external DNS resolvers, and privacy-focused browsers to access blocked services and maintain their digital communication.

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