Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp on Thursday, 12th February 2026 issued a statement claiming that the Russian Government attempted to block the messaging application in the country. WhatsApp’s statement comes shortly after Telegram founder Pavel Durov accused Russia of restricting access to the application.
In a post on X, WhatsApp said, “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. We continue to do everything we can to keep users connected.”
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
Dmitry Peskov, Russian Presidential Press Secretary, told TASS that WhatsApp would be unblocked in Russia if Meta follows Russian laws and demonstrates readiness for dialogue. “This is a matter of compliance with Russian laws. If Meta complies, it will enter into dialogue with the Russian authorities, and then there will be an opportunity to reach an agreement,” he said.
As per TASS, he further said, “If the corporation continues to cling to its uncompromising stance and, I would say, demonstrate absolute unwillingness to complies with Russian laws, then there will be no chances”.
TASS on Thursday stated that Russia’s telecom watchdog confirmed to TASS that that it is taking measures to slow down WhatsApp over violations of Russian laws. It claimed that the messenger is used to organise and carry out terrorist activities in the country and is also one of the main services used to defraud and extort money from citizens.
Prior to this on Wednesday, Telegram founder Pavel Durov in a post on X had also alleged Russia of restricting access to the application. He wrote, “Russia is restricting access to Telegram to force its citizens onto a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship. This authoritarian move won’t change our course. Telegram stands for freedom and privacy, no matter the pressure.”
8 years ago, Iran tried the same strategy — and failed. It banned Telegram on made-up pretexts, trying to force people onto a state-run alternative. Despite the ban, most Iranians still use Telegram (bypassing censorship) and prefer it to surveilled apps. Freedom prevails.
— Pavel Durov (@durov) February 10, 2026
According to a report shared by CNN on Wednesday claims that the state-endorsed alternative is Max, an app the Russian government now requires to be pre-installed on all new smartphones and tablets sold in Russia. It further said that users on Max can message each other, transfer money, and make audio and video calls.
( Input from ANI)
Syed Ziyauddin is a media and international relations enthusiast with a strong academic and professional foundation. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Media from Jamia Millia Islamia and a Master’s in International Relations (West Asia) from the same institution.
He has work with organizations like ANN Media, TV9 Bharatvarsh, NDTV and Centre for Discourse, Fusion, and Analysis (CDFA) his core interest includes Tech, Auto and global affairs.
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