Russia to Fully Block WhatsApp

Photo: Pexels

Russia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor has announced new restrictive measures against WhatsApp (owned by Meta, designated as an extremist organization in Russia), up to a full shutdown of the service, TASS reports. The agency stated that the platform is used for organizing and conducting terrorist activities, as well as for fraudulent schemes.

Roskomnadzor representatives noted that WhatsApp is not complying with requirements aimed at preventing such violations. Restrictions are being implemented gradually to give users time to switch to other messaging platforms. The first strict measures were introduced in August this year — and they affected not only WhatsApp, but also Telegram. Reports of disruptions to voice and video calls appeared first, and two days later the regulator officially confirmed the beginning of phased restrictions. The decision was formally explained as a measure to protect citizens from criminal schemes.

At the same time, data from the Central Bank shows that in 2024 almost half of all fraud cases involved phone calls and SMS, while messengers — including Telegram and WhatsApp — were used three times less often. Between April and July 2025, the regulator moved to block more than 20,000 phone numbers involved in fraudulent activity, calling into question the official justification for restrictions on foreign apps.



The communications market reacted immediately after the first restrictions. On the very first day, voice traffic among mobile operators increased by an average of 9%, and in some regions by 25%. For years, traditional phone calls had been declining by around 6% annually. With the new load, some users returned to fixed-line calls, but the majority switched to alternative apps for calling — including other messengers and corporate video-communication platforms. Demand for tools that help bypass blocks also increased.

Data from the Central Bank again shows that in 2024 almost half of all fraud cases involved phone calls and SMS, while messengers such as Telegram and WhatsApp were used three times less often. Between April and July 2025, the regulator blocked more than 20,000 phone numbers used in fraud schemes, which casts doubt on the official reasoning behind restrictions on foreign applications.



Igor Bederov, head of investigations at T.Hunter, told Vedomosti that the requirements of Russian authorities for WhatsApp include local storage of user data and providing this information to law enforcement, including access to messages. For now, the messenger protects communication with end-to-end encryption; only metadata remains accessible, allowing authorities to track user activity but not the content of messages or calls.

Complying with Roskomnadzor’s demands looks unrealistic at this point, says TelecomDaily CEO Denis Kuskov: data is not stored locally, and Meta is banned in Russia. Sergey Polovnikov, head of Content Review, disagrees. In his view, most users have long switched to alternative services, so a full shutdown of WhatsApp is unlikely to cause serious public backlash.

Despite increased restrictions, WhatsApp remains the largest messenger in Russia. According to Mediascope, its monthly audience reached 97 million users in August 2025, with 82.1 million daily active users. However, call limitations and slower mobile internet are already reducing user activity on the platform.



Bloomberg notes that after the start of hostilities in Ukraine in 2022, Russia intensified pressure on digital services it does not control. US-owned social networks Facebook, Instagram and X are fully blocked, and access to YouTube is gradually being restricted. TikTok’s popularity has also declined: the platform limited access to foreign content and livestreams for Russian users following changes in domestic legislation.

In June, President Vladimir Putin signed a law creating a state-run “super-app” called Max. It is intended to integrate government services, document storage, messaging, banking and other public and commercial features. The platform is being developed by VK, a company controlled by the state, and largely mirrors the model of China’s WeChat, where communication, social features and digital documents exist within a single ecosystem.

Russian authorities are running a campaign to shift the population to the state messenger Max, presenting it as a safer option. Amid restrictions, the app quickly gained popularity and on August 13 became the most downloaded free communication app in the Russian App Store, overtaking Google Meet and others. However, scammers have already begun using this platform as well. The Ministry of Digital Development earlier recommended that all government institutions fully switch to Max by January 1, 2026. In many Russian organizations, managers are reportedly requiring staff to use Max under threat of dismissal or expulsion.