Russia blocks access to WhatsApp and further restricts Telegram

Details: James Barton; Category: Regulation; 13 February 2026; 10046 views

Russia’s government has blocked access to WhatsApp.

As reported by BBC News, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that the decision was taken "due to [WhatsApp owner Meta's] unwillingness to comply with the norms and the letter of Russian law". Peskov added that the ban could be lifted if Meta complied with the law and engaged with Russia’s government.

Meta criticised the ban as a government bid to “isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication” by pushing them towards the state-owned messaging app Max, which it described as a “surveillance app” since it lacks end-to-end encryption. Meta argued that adopting Max would be a step backwards for users in terms of security.

Russian regulator Roskomnadzor this week also stated that it will further restrict access to the encrypted messaging app Telegram due to security concerns. The app is used widely in Russia, particularly by the country’s military forces, and the restrictions have been met with criticism by proponents of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, arguing that it has restricted communications on the ground.

Russia’s government has attempted to justify its actions on legal grounds, arguing that WhatsApp and Telegram have failed to comply with Russian law by refusing to store domestic user data locally. It has also denied suggestions that Max could be used for surveillance, with Peskov describing it as simply an “available alternative” for WhatsApp’s 100 million Russian users.

The Max platform is part of Russia’s efforts to create a domestic alternative internet, which were already underway prior to the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The state-backed platform is being heavily pushed within Russia through media, advertising, and government endorsements. Last year, Russian authorities ordered that all devices sold in the country should have Max pre-installed, and the BBC reports that public sector workers including teachers are increasingly obliged to use the app for their work.

Earlier this year, Russia’s state-run news agency Tass reported that WhatsApp faced a permanent ban in the market before the end of 2026. In 2022, parent firm Meta was designated an “extremist” organisation by Russian authorities, and its services Facebook and Instagram have since been removed from the country’s list of functional domain names, meaning they cannot be accessed in the market without a VPN (virtual private network).