Russian lawmakers say WhatsApp is a security threat and should leave the country

Russian lawmakers who regulated the country said on Friday that WhatsApp should be ready to leave the Russian market, warning that messaging apps could be included in the list of restricted software.

Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the House of Commons, said in a statement that if WhatsApp owned by Meta (Meta) leaves the country, state-backed messaging app Max, integrated with government services, could gain market share.

“It’s time to prepare WhatsApp to leave the Russian market,” Gorelkin said. Meta has been designated as Russia’s extremist group.

Facebook and Instagram, also owned by Meta, have been banned in Russia since 2022 by Moscow in an invasion of Ukraine in a continuing war.

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Gorelkin commented after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law last month, authorizing Max to develop as Russia tries to reduce its reliance on platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram.

Russian lawmakers approved a comprehensive legal amendment this week, suggesting anyone searching for material online sees the government as extremists, including Instagram and Facebook, as well as opposition politicians and activists.

The proposal sparked criticism, including Kremlin supporters such as state media director Margarita Simonyan, who said journalists would be unable to investigate the activities of opposition groups, such as the anti-corruption fund established by late opposition figure Alexei Navalny.

Anton Nemkin, a member of the parliamentary IT committee, said it was confirmed WhatsApp would leave Russia.

“In fact, this kind of service in the Russian digital space is actually a legal violation of national security,” state-owned news agency Tass said.

Anton Nemkin, a member of the parliamentary IT committee, said it was confirmed WhatsApp would leave Russia. (Getty Image)

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said all services must comply with Russian law when asked whether WhatsApp could leave the country.

Russia has long tried to determine its described digital sovereignty by promoting indigenous services.

But critics expressed concerns that Russia’s new state-backed messaging apps might track activity of its users and suggested that Russia could slow down WhatsApp to encourage downloads of new apps.

Last year, YouTube’s audience in Russia dropped sharply by more than 40 million daily users in mid-2024, as downloads were slower, making it difficult for people to access video platforms.

Shares of state-controlled technology company VK, which is developing indigenous digital services such as VK Video, a YouTube rival, rose 1.9% last Friday.

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President Vladimir Putin signed a law authorizing the development of state-supported messaging applications integrated with government services. (Sergei Bobylyov/pool/afp via Getty Images)

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The Kremlin issued a series of instructions from Putin this week, including directives introducing other restrictions on the use of Russian software, including communication services generated in “unfriendly countries” that impose sanctions on Russia.

Putin’s deadline is September 1.

Gorelkin refers to Putin’s order, saying WhatsApp could be a communication service facing new restrictions.

Reuters contributed to the report.