TLDRRussia has attempted to fully block WhatsApp, according to a spokesperson for Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp. This move is seen as a backward step by the company and is part of the Kremlin's aim to achieve a sovereign internet, which is an online space cut off from Western technology and foreign influence. The move has triggered criticism from frontline Russian troops, pro-war bloggers, and exiled opposition figures. The Russian state-sponsored app, Max, is largely modeled on China's WeChat and has approximately 55 million users across Russia. WhatsApp has at least 100 million users in Russia, making it the country's most widely used messaging service.

Source: The Guardian February 12, 2026 12:21 UTC