Russia has confirmed that it has blocked instant messaging app WhatsApp in the country, instead directing Russian citizens to use its state-backed Max app.

WhatsApp said the Russian government has moved to “fully block” the world’s most popular messaging service in the country as part of an effort to drive adoption of a new, ...

Russia blocks WhatsApp for 100M users, mandating state MAX app on phones. Meta calls it surveillance. VPN required for access ...

Russia moves to block WhatsApp and throttle Telegram, steering users to a government-backed messenger amid tightening ...

The government also blocked access to Facebook and Instagram, and designated parent company Meta as “an extremist organization” … Russia has been making it increasingly difficult to use Telegram over ...

WhatsApp has effectively been erased from Russia’s internet, cutting off one of the country’s most widely used messaging platforms as the Kremlin accelerates its push towards state-controlled ...

WhatsApp has accused the Russian government of attempting to fully block its messaging platform in the country, describing the move as an effort to push users toward a state-owned alternative. The ...

The Russian government is attempting to block WhatsApp in the country as its crackdown on communication platforms not under ...

Meta claims that WhatsApp’s blocking in Russia could force users toward a government-controlled surveillance app, putting the privacy and data of nearly 100 million users at potential risk.

Russia's move against WhatsApp is the culmination of six months of pressure on the U.S. company.