Russia Attempts to Block WhatsApp in Crackdown on Messaging Apps, Drawing Backlash

Russia has taken steps to limit access to WhatsApp, the country's most popular messaging app, which has around 100 million users. A Meta spokesperson, the company that owns WhatsApp, confirmed that Russian authorities tried to "fully block" the service, calling the move a "backward step" that isolates users from private and secure communication. The success of the block remains uncertain.

This action is part of a wider Kremlin effort to control digital communications and push forward its "sovereign internet" plan, creating an online space shielded from foreign technology. Officials are actively promoting Max, a state-backed app inspired by China's WeChat, which already has about 55 million users and comes pre-installed on new phones sold in Russia.

This crackdown follows recent restrictions on Telegram, another well-used platform with more than 60 million Russians relying on it daily. The Telegram ban has led to rare public dissent, including criticism from frontline Russian soldiers who depend on the app for communication, as well as from pro-war bloggers and exiled opposition figures. Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticised the restrictions, saying that limiting citizens' freedom is never the right solution.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov indicated that the block is related to Meta's compliance with Russian laws, and suggested that dialogue and possible restoration of the service could occur if the company adopts a more cooperative stance. This development highlights rising tensions between Russia and Western technology firms amid wartime censorship and efforts to control information.