WhatsApp Block: Amidst the increasing tension with America and the ongoing war with Ukraine, Russia has prepared for a major 'digital surgical strike'. Russia has made preparations to attack WhatsApp. This is not the first time that controversy has deepened over the ban on WhatsApp service in Russia. Last year too, such news had come out several times that Meta had accused Russian officials of trying to snatch away the right to private conversations from more than 10 crore people.
WhatsApp has shared a post on micro blogging platform WhatsApp said that this block is an attempt by Russia to direct users to the government surveillance app.
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 backward step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) February 12, 2026
The effort to cut off more than 100 million users from private and secure communications is a backward step and will only reduce the safety of people in Russia. We are making every possible effort to keep users connected. A spokesperson of the company told Reuters during a conversation that the Russian government is promoting platforms made in its country and wants more control over the internet space.
After Moscow's attack on Ukraine in February 2022, the ongoing dispute with foreign tech providers has increased further. A government-backed competitor app named MAX is being promoted in Russia, critics of this app claimed that this app can be used to track users. On the other hand, the government media has called all these allegations false.
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