Access only via VPN: Russia now completely blocking WhatsApp too
The Kremlin has further tightened its crackdown on the most popular messengers. After Telegram, access to WhatsApp is now also being blocked.
(Image: DenPhotos(Shutterstock.com)
Russia's internet regulator has begun to completely block access to WhatsApp. The BBC reports this, citing a Kremlin spokesman, while the messenger itself has also made the move public. On Thursday, the Russian government began attempting to block WhatsApp entirely, according to a post by WhatsApp on X. This would deny more than 100 million people access to private and secure communication. According to The Moscow Times, the messenger can still be accessed in Russia via VPN services, but it is unclear how long this will last. With this move, Moscow wants to push people to use the messenger MAX; access to Telegram had already been restricted shortly before.
Campaign against the most popular messengers
The blocking of WhatsApp is occurring “due to the refusal of the company Meta to comply with the regulations and the letter of Russian law,” claims Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He stated to the state news agency Tass that the service could function without restrictions again if WhatsApp complies with the laws and is willing to engage in dialogue. WhatsApp itself has assured that it wants to do everything possible to ensure people can stay connected. Russia's telecommunications regulator Roskomnadzor has repeatedly claimed that WhatsApp is used to “organize terrorist activities in the country” and for “fraud and extortion of money from citizens.”
Videos by heise
The most popular messengers have been restricted in Russia for some time; for example, audio calls on WhatsApp were only possible if the service was used via VPN. The use of Telegram and iMessage was also restricted. This week, the government has further increased the pressure. The stated goal of the Kremlin is to promote the use of the state-sponsored messenger MAX. This has had to be pre-installed on all sold smartphones and tablets since the summer. In the country, there is now mainly criticism of the measures against Telegram, as the service is of enormous importance to the economy, and numerous media outlets and internet companies use it for communication.
(mho)
