Russia tightens restrictions on Telegram and WhatsApp: what are the Kremlin’s goals?
Фото: Pixabay
In Russia, authorities are tightening restrictions on internet access, including blocking instant messaging apps and disabling mobile communications in major cities. Such measures are aimed at tightening control over society amid the war in Ukraine.
This is reported by Reuters .
It is noted that over the past week, mobile Internet has been completely disconnected daily in certain areas of Moscow, St. Petersburg and other major cities. According to journalists and diplomats, such restrictions are applied regularly and cover different regions of the country.
In addition, the Russian authorities are restricting the work of popular messengers and services. In particular, WhatsApp was blocked and Telegram was slowed down. At the same time, more than 400 VPN services were blocked in the country in January 2026, which is 70% more than at the end of the previous year.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the introduction of restrictions and explained them by security reasons.
“These measures are taking place partly due to the refusal of foreign companies to comply with Russian law, and partly due to security measures against the threat of Ukrainian drones,” he said.
At the same time, the article notes that the new laws expand the powers of the Federal Security Service. In particular, mobile operators were obliged to disconnect subscribers at the request of the special service, and were also given the opportunity to create a network of isolation centers under its control.
According to diplomats, such steps are aimed at strengthening internal control in the context of the war against Ukraine. They note that in the event of a prolonged war or its conclusion, the authorities seek to prevent possible public discontent.
Russian journalist Andrei Soldatov also links these actions to historical experience.
“What is happening now is an attempt to create a situation in which neither a peace agreement nor a protracted war will destroy the system,” he said.
The material also notes that the Russian authorities are studying the experience of other countries, in particular China and Iran, to develop mechanisms for blocking a significant part of the Internet and controlling online communications.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticized the authorities’ actions, stating that there was pressure on freedom of speech.
“Every day the authorities come up with new excuses to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram, trying to suppress the right to privacy and freedom of speech,” he said.
By the way, the Russian Ministry of Defense has banned the military from using the Telegram messenger , which could worsen troop control and communications at the front.
It was previously reported that large-scale outages in the Telegram messenger began in Russia , preventing users from sending messages and uploading photos and videos.
Also follow “Pryamim” on Facebook , X , Telegram , and Instagram.