Russia has completely blocked WhatsApp, citing failure to comply with local laws, and is urging citizens to use the state-backed messenger MAX instead.
The move comes amid wider efforts to build a sovereign communications infrastructure, with critics raising concerns about surveillance.
“Due to Meta's unwillingness to comply with Russian law, such a decision was indeed made and implemented,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the decision on Thursday.
He proposed that Russians move to MAX, a state-owned messaging platform. “MAX is an accessible alternative, a developing messenger, a national messenger, and it is available on the market for citizens as an alternative,” Peskov said.
The move marks the culmination of six months of mounting pressure on Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, and forms part of a broader push by Russian authorities to create a sovereign communications infrastructure.
Under this approach, foreign-owned technology companies are expected to comply with domestic laws or face restrictions.
Meta Russia has already been designated as an extremist organisation, and WhatsApp had previously complained about attempts to fully block its service.
In a statement, WhatsApp said:, “Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app.”
The company added, “Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.”
Critics of MAX have described it as a surveillance tool, an accusation the authorities deny. Officials say the platform integrates various government-related services and is designed to simplify and improve everyday life for citizens.
The technical mechanism behind the block appears to involve changes to domain name registration. Some domain names associated with WhatsApp disappeared from Russia’s national register of domain names, meaning devices inside Russia stopped receiving the app’s IP addresses. As a result, WhatsApp could be accessed only by using a virtual private network (VPN).
Roskomnadzor, Russia’s state communications regulator, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Restrictions on WhatsApp had already been introduced in stages. In August, Roskomnadzor began restricting WhatsApp and other messaging services, making it impossible to complete phone calls on them.
The regulator accused foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law enforcement in cases involving fraud and terrorism.
In December, Roskomnadzor said it was taking further measures to gradually restrict the app. It accused WhatsApp of continuing to violate Russian law and of being a platform used to organise and carry out terrorist acts on the territory of the country, to recruit their perpetrators and to commit fraud and other crimes.
Russian courts have repeatedly fined WhatsApp for failing to delete content deemed illegal under domestic law.
Authorities have also insisted that the company establish a local representative office in Russia to comply with regulations, something it has not done.
Since December, many Russians have reportedly been able to use WhatsApp only in conjunction with a VPN, with some switching to rival messaging apps.
However, some of those alternatives, including Telegram, have also faced pressure from authorities on similar grounds.
The complete block of WhatsApp reaffirms the intensifying standoff between Moscow and major foreign technology companies, as Russia continues efforts to assert greater control over digital communications within its borders.
For millions of users who relied on WhatsApp for daily communication, the decision represents a significant shift in the country’s online landscape.
