BREAKING: Russia Restricts WhatsApp, Telegram Calls— Reasons

BREAKING: Russia Restricts WhatsApp, Telegram Calls— Reasons

Russia has imposed restrictions on voice calls made through WhatsApp and Telegram, citing national security concerns, fraud prevention, and claims of support for sabotage activities amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.

The measure, announced Wednesday by the state media watchdog Roskomnadzor, is expected to impact tens of millions of users — with WhatsApp boasting about 96 million monthly users in Russia and Telegram over 89 million, according to figures from media analytics company Mediascope.

Although Roskomnadzor stated that the ban targets only voice calls, many users have also reported issues with video calls.

“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 agency said in a statement.

It added that repeated attempts to get the platforms’ owners to address the issues had been ignored.

“Access to calls in foreign messengers will be restored after they start complying with Russian legislation,” the statement said.

This move is part of a wider crackdown on digital platforms and online content since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Authorities have accused Ukraine of exploiting platforms like Telegram to recruit agents and coordinate attacks within Russian territory.