On August 13, 2025, Russian authorities took another decisive step in their yearslong effort to tighten control over the country’s internet by announcing partial restrictions on calls made through two of the nation’s most popular messaging apps: WhatsApp and Telegram. The move, described by the government as a measure to combat criminal activity, has affected millions of users and sparked a wave of concern about privacy, freedom of communication, and the future of digital life in Russia.
According to Roskomnadzor, Russia’s media and internet regulator, the restrictions were implemented in response to what they described as a surge in criminal exploitation of these platforms. “According to law enforcement agencies and numerous appeals from citizens, foreign messengers Telegram and WhatsApp have become the main voice services used to deceive and extort money, and to involve Russian citizens in sabotage and terrorist activities,” the regulator stated, as reported by Reuters and the Associated Press. The agency further claimed that “repeated requests to take countermeasures have been ignored by the owners of the messengers.”
The partial ban, which officially targets only audio calls, has been felt widely. Russian media outlets and users have reported that both voice and video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram have become unreliable or entirely unavailable since August 11. Reuters journalists confirmed that Telegram’s voice calls had “barely functioned” and WhatsApp calls suffered from intermittent sound and a metallic buzzing, rendering them nearly useless for everyday communication.
With over 96 million monthly users on WhatsApp and more than 89 million on Telegram, according to Russian media monitoring service Mediascope, the impact of these restrictions is profound. The apps are not only vital for personal communication but also play an essential role in business, civil society, and even government operations. Their sudden curtailment, therefore, has left a sizable portion of the Russian population scrambling for alternatives.
Russia’s crackdown on foreign messaging services is not new. The government has long been at odds with foreign tech companies over issues of data storage, content moderation, and compliance with Russian law. The tension escalated dramatically following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In the aftermath, Moscow blocked major social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and labeled their parent company, Meta, as “extremist.” WhatsApp, also owned by Meta, managed to avoid a total ban but has faced increasing scrutiny and penalties for not removing content deemed illegal by Russian authorities.
Lawmakers have been vocal about their dissatisfaction. Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the lower house of parliament’s information technology committee, recently declared that WhatsApp “should prepare to leave the Russian market,” echoing growing calls for a shift toward domestic alternatives. Another lawmaker went so far as to describe WhatsApp’s continued presence as a breach of national security.
The government’s solution? A homegrown messaging platform called MAX, developed by Russian social media giant VK. Promoted as a one-stop shop for messaging, government services, payments, and more, MAX has been rolled out for beta testing and, by July 2025, had registered over 2 million users, according to the Tass news agency. The app’s terms and conditions openly state it will share user data with authorities upon request, and a new law now requires its preinstallation on all smartphones sold in Russia. State institutions, officials, and businesses are being actively encouraged—some say pressured—to migrate their communications to MAX.
For critics, the introduction of MAX and the clampdown on foreign apps are part of a broader campaign for “digital sovereignty,” a government drive to reduce dependence on Western technology and bolster surveillance capabilities. President Vladimir Putin has personally championed the development of a state-backed messaging app fully integrated with government services. Human Rights Watch, in a recent report, warned that Russia’s government is rapidly expanding its technological capacity to monitor, block, and throttle online content, as well as restrict the use of censorship circumvention tools.
Roskomnadzor insists that the current restrictions are strictly temporary and limited. “No other restrictions have been imposed on their functionality,” the agency told Interfax. The digital development ministry echoed this, stating that access to calls via WhatsApp and Telegram may be reinstated if the platforms “comply with Russian legislation.” Compliance, in this context, means opening legal entities in Russia, sharing user data with law enforcement on demand, and fully cooperating with Roskomnadzor and other authorities.
WhatsApp and Telegram, for their part, have pushed back strongly. A WhatsApp spokesperson told AFP, “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 spokesperson added that WhatsApp is concerned this pressure is an attempt to force users onto platforms more vulnerable to government surveillance.
Telegram, developed by Russian tech entrepreneur Pavel Durov, has also defended its record. In a statement to AFP, the company said it “actively combats misuse of its platform, including calls for sabotage or violence, as well as fraud,” and that it removes “millions of pieces of harmful content every day.” Telegram told Russia’s RBC daily that moderators use AI tools to monitor public channels and swiftly delete malicious messages. Still, the platform faces accusations—both in Russia and abroad—of not doing enough to curb criminal activity.
Security services in Russia have frequently accused Ukraine of using Telegram to recruit operatives and coordinate sabotage efforts inside Russian territory. These claims, while often repeated by officials, are difficult to independently verify and have been cited as justification for the latest restrictions.
Behind the official rhetoric lies a deeper concern about the future of digital rights and freedoms in Russia. Since 2022, the government has passed a series of laws further restricting press freedom and online speech. A law adopted last month punishes users for searching for content deemed illicit, and authorities have not hesitated to block or throttle access to websites, apps, and even entire segments of the internet. In Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, officials have warned that mobile internet shutdowns may last indefinitely.
For now, the fate of WhatsApp and Telegram in Russia hangs in the balance. The government has left the door open for a return—if the platforms submit to Russian legal demands. But with both companies committed to user privacy and resisting data-sharing, a resolution seems unlikely in the near term. Meanwhile, millions of Russians are left navigating a digital landscape that feels less open and more tightly controlled with each passing month.
As the government pushes for digital sovereignty and users seek ways to maintain secure communication, the struggle over Russia’s internet is far from over—and its outcome will shape the future of free expression in the world’s largest country.
