Russia has confirmed it has blocked the popular messaging app WhatsApp, directing citizens to use the government-backed Max app instead.
The move comes shortly after authorities began restricting access to Telegram, another widely used messaging platform in Russia, relied upon by millions including military personnel, senior officials, state media, and government agencies such as the Kremlin and communications regulator Roskomnadzor.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the decision to block WhatsApp was due to alleged legal violations by its parent company, Meta, which also owns Facebook and Instagram.
He described Max as an “affordable alternative” and a “developing national messenger.” Peskov added that the authorities acted because WhatsApp had allegedly refused to comply with Russian law.
Earlier on Thursday, WhatsApp released a statement saying the Russian government had “attempted to fully block” the service, calling the move an effort to “drive people to a state-owned surveillance app.”
The company warned that isolating over 100 million users from secure and private communication is a “backwards step” that could reduce safety for people in Russia, and pledged to continue efforts to keep its users connected.
#With inputs from CNN