Russia tries to block WhatsApp: Company responds
Photo: WhatsApp blocking in Russia (Getty Images)
Meta Platforms’ messenger WhatsApp has stated that it will continue doing everything possible to maintain access to its service in Russia, despite government attempts to block it, according to the company’s statement on X.
WhatsApp’s response to blocking in Russia
The company emphasized that the platform provides private communication with end-to-end encryption and protects people’s right to secure communication.
"WhatsApp is private, end-to-end encrypted, and defies government attempts to violate people’s right to secure communication, which is why Russia is trying to block it from over 100 million Russian people," the statement says.
Messenger representatives stressed that the service will remain accessible wherever possible, including in Russia.
At the same time, Russian authorities have begun restricting certain calls on Telegram and WhatsApp, accusing foreign platforms of refusing to provide data to law enforcement in cases of fraud and terrorism.
Why Russia is blocking WhatsApp
Russia began restricting WhatsApp for several officially stated reasons and several underlying ones.
The official Kremlin position is that the messenger allegedly does not provide law enforcement access to information in cases of fraud, terrorism, and other crimes.
The issue is that Roskomnadzor (Russian federal executive authority) and security agencies require services to store users’ messages and calls and provide them upon request. WhatsApp refuses to do this due to its privacy policy and end-to-end encryption.
However, the real reason may be that WhatsApp is one of the last major international services still operating in Russia after the blocking of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Through it, people can share news without censorship, coordinate actions, and access information from abroad.
The Kremlin, in turn, seeks to fully control the information space and move people to Russian platforms like VKontakte or Telegram (the latter is also partially controlled by Russian security agencies).
Furthermore, blocking encrypted messengers is part of a broader Russian strategy to pressure any communication channels the state cannot eavesdrop on or censor.
Tight control
Recently, Putin signed laws making it harder to use VPNs and restricting access to foreign platforms. At the same time, Russia is preparing to launch a new state messenger, MAX, which will be mandatory on all new smartphones starting next month.
The goal of this initiative is to move Russians from the open internet into a controlled digital environment. Authorities view MAX as a Russian equivalent of China’s WeChat, where communication, payment services, government services, and educational platforms will be integrated. Russian teachers are already required to use the app in schools.
