Russia has attempted to block the WhatsApp messaging platform across the country, the company said.
A company spokesman said late last night that the Russian authorities' action was aimed at "directing users towards a state surveillance app," referring to the Kremlin-backed messaging app MAX, which critics see as a tool for surveillance of citizens.
"Attempting to isolate more than 100 million people from private and secure communication is a step backwards and can only make people in Russia less safe," the spokesperson said, adding that the company is doing everything it can to keep users connected.
Russian authorities have already blocked major social media platforms such as X, Facebook, and Instagram and have tightened restrictions on other platforms since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said WhatsApp's owner, Meta, should comply with Russian law to unblock it, according to the state-run Tass news agency.
Earlier this week, Russia's communications agency Roskomnadzor said it would impose new restrictions on messaging app Telegram, after accusing it of refusing to comply with the law.
This has been met with harsh criticism from military commentators and bloggers, who have warned that Telegram is being used extensively by soldiers on the front lines in Ukraine.
Some Russian experts have said that blocking WhatsApp would free up technological resources and allow authorities to focus entirely on Telegram.
Russian authorities have also restricted access to YouTube and tightened restrictions on popular messaging platforms, blocking Signal and Viber, and then removing calling options on several networks.
While it is still possible to bypass some of the restrictions by using virtual private network (VPN) services, many of them are also routinely blocked.
The authorities are actively promoting the state-owned messaging app "MAX", which can also be used for government services, which could allow user data to be shared with the Kremlin.
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