Russia's government reportedly attempted to fully block WhatsApp on Wednesday in what the messaging service called an effort to drive users to a state-owned surveillance app, according to WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META).
“Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step,” WhatsApp said in a statement posted on social media.
Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app. Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.…
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) February 12, 2026
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told TASS that WhatsApp could be restored if Meta complies with Russian laws and enters into dialogue with authorities.
“If Meta complies, it will enter into dialogue with the Russian authorities, and then there will be an opportunity to reach an agreement,” Peskov said.
TASS reported that Russia's telecom watchdog confirmed it is slowing down WhatsApp over alleged violations, claiming the messaging app facilitates terrorist activities and financial fraud targeting citizens.
This marks an escalation from August 2025, when Russia partially restricted audio calls on WhatsApp and Telegram.
In July 2025, Russian lawmaker Anton Gorelkin warned that WhatsApp should "prepare to leave" as authorities promoted MAX, a state-backed messaging app.
Russia simultaneously imposed restrictions on Telegram this week, after which founder Pavel Durov accused Moscow of forcing citizens onto surveilled alternatives, noting Iran's failed attempt at similar censorship eight years ago.
Russia banned Facebook and Instagram, both owned by Meta, in 2022 and designated the company as an extremist organization.
The timing coincides with broader scrutiny of WhatsApp’s security.
In January, Durov also publicly questioned the platform's encryption, while Meta faced a lawsuit alleging it misled users about its privacy protections.
Lately, Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google also disclosed a vulnerability affecting WhatsApp on Android devices.
Photo courtesy: Worawee Meepian / Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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