Russia Restricts WhatsApp, Telegram Calls to Fight Crime

News Desk

Islamabad: Russia has announced partial restrictions on voice calls made through WhatsApp and Telegram, citing the need to combat criminal activity, according to reports from state media.

Communications regulator Roskomnadzor said the restrictions are aimed at curbing fraud, extortion, and efforts to involve Russian citizens in what it describes as subversive or terrorist activities. The agency labeled the foreign messaging apps as key tools used in such criminal schemes.

Russian authorities have previously accused Ukraine of using Telegram to recruit individuals and carry out sabotage operations within Russia.

Moscow is demanding that these platforms provide law enforcement with access to user data—not just for fraud investigations, but also in cases deemed related to terrorism.

“Access to call features on foreign messengers will be reinstated once they comply with Russian laws,” stated the country’s digital ministry.

In response, Telegram told AFP that it works actively to prevent misuse of its platform, including removing millions of harmful posts daily and cracking down on content that promotes violence or fraud.

Meta, which owns WhatsApp, emphasized that its platform is private and end-to-end encrypted. A spokesperson told AFP that Russia’s move appears to be an attempt to undermine secure communication for over 100 million Russian users and potentially shift them toward services more susceptible to government surveillance.

Since the start of its military campaign in Ukraine, Russia has sharply curtailed online freedom of expression and press freedom.