WhatsApp in firing line as Russia prepares to hit back at US with sanctions by banning Meta's messaging app, aims to develop its own
,
Meta
's widely used instant messaging platform, marking a new frontier in the escalating digital Cold War. The proposed ban is part of a broader Kremlin campaign to eliminate what it calls 'foreign surveillance platforms' and achieve 'digital sovereignty', particularly from U.S.-based tech companies tied to hostile governments.
According to Russian lawmakers, the use of Meta platforms in Russia now poses an 'unacceptable national security risk.'
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US and Western bloc sanctions Russia
This latest development comes more than three years after
Russia's invasion of Ukraine
in February 2022, which triggered a wave of
international sanctions
from the US,
European Union
, and
NATO
countries. These sanctions included the removal of major Russian banks from the SWIFT international payment system, freezes on $300 billion in Russian foreign currency reserves, bans on exports of semiconductors and dual-use technology, Russian oil and natural gas; and the suspension of operations by key Western firms like Apple, Microsoft, McDonald's, Starbucks etc.
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Several Russian companies, individuals and institutions have also faced sanctions since late February 2022.
Russia's counter sanctions
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In the digital domain, Russia has already banned Facebook and Instagram, branding Meta as an extremist organization in March 2022. However, WhatsApp has remained operational, in part because it was viewed primarily as a private communication tool.
That distinction now appears to be vanishing.
According to Anton Gorelkin, deputy chair of the State Duma's Committee on Information Policy, 'WhatsApp's fate in Russia is sealed', urging Russians to begin seeking alternatives.
Publicly, WhatsApp remains one of the most widely used applications in the country, with over 97.4 million active users in Russia as of April 2025, constituting 68%. More than two-thirds of Russian smartphone users reportedly rely on the app for daily communication.
Kremlin's very own messaging app
With WhatsApp's removal imminent, the Kremlin is preparing to roll out a native alternative:
MAX
, a state-backed messaging app developed by VK (formerly VKontakte), the largest Russian
social media
platform. The app is currently undergoing public beta testing and, according to developers, will be pre-installed on every new smartphone sold in Russia.
It is also slated to replace Telegram and other Western apps as the go-to platform for everything from private messaging to accessing government services. Russian officials have emphasized that MAX will operate on servers based entirely within Russia and comply fully with local data laws.
Vladimir Putin's censorship tool?
The legislative push to ban WhatsApp aligns with President Vladimir Putin's recent directive to restrict software from 'unfriendly countries' by September 1, a move explicitly aimed at reducing Russia's dependence on U.S. technologies. A Russian government working group is also drafting a law to penalize any company that shares user data with foreign intelligence services—a swipe clearly aimed at U.S.-based platforms like Meta.
While Russian authorities argue that digital independence is essential amid an unfriendly international environment, critics point out that the moves serve to deepen government control over information.
Independent analysts warn the WhatsApp ban could push millions of Russians into tightly controlled digital ecosystems, possibly monitored or censored by the state. International digital rights organizations like Access Now and Reporters Without Borders have repeatedly raised alarms over Russia's growing use of internet censorship under the guise of cybersecurity.
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