Russia fully blocks WhatsApp, urges citizens to use state-backed MAX app

Russia has fully blocked access to WhatsApp, escalating its crackdown on foreign technology platforms and urging citizens to switch to a state-backed messaging alternative.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Thursday that the Meta-owned messaging service was restricted for failing to comply with Russian laws. 

He said authorities had implemented the decision after Meta declined to meet local regulatory requirements. 

Peskov encouraged users to migrate to MAX, a government-supported messaging app described as a growing national alternative.

“MAX is an accessible and developing national messenger available to citizens,” Peskov told reporters.

The move follows months of mounting pressure on WhatsApp and reflects Moscow’s broader effort to build what it calls a “sovereign” digital infrastructure.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russian authorities have tightened control over online platforms, demanding that foreign tech firms adhere to domestic regulations or face restrictions.

Meta has previously been designated an extremist organization in Russia. In a statement, WhatsApp accused the government of attempting to push users toward a state-controlled surveillance platform. 

The company said blocking access to private communication services would reduce safety for more than 100 million users in the country.

Following the restriction, several WhatsApp-related domain names were removed from Russia’s national registry, preventing devices inside the country from receiving the app’s IP addresses.