September 20, 2023

The End of WhatsApp in Russia?


The End of WhatsApp in Russia?
WhatsApp installed on a phone. Dimitri Karastelev, Unsplash.

Russian lawmakers have proposed restricting access to WhatsApp, a popular and secure messaging app, in response to the platform's newly introduced "channels" feature.

WhatsApp's latest update, released on September 13, piloted its new "channel" function in over 150 countries. A multitude of organizations, sports teams, artists, and influential figures have begun establishing their channels. In a few months, this feature will become accessible to all users. 

"If the product of the extremist company Meta begins to expand the functionality towards the mass dissemination of information, the official position regarding its activities in the territory of the Russian Federation may be revised," said Anton Gorelkin, a State Duma deputy.

Viktor Bondarev, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security, said he believes that the introduction of WhatsApp channels may transform the platform into a tool for information warfare and a breeding ground for disinformation regarding Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

Mikhail Klimarev, president of Russia's Internet Protection Society, said individuals whose WhatsApp accounts are tied to mobile numbers starting with the country code +7 will not be able to access these channels. In other words, people living in Russia and Kazakhstan would be blocked from the feature.

WhatsApp is a subsidiary of Meta, which was designated as an "extremist organization" in March 2022, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This led to the banning of Facebook and Instagram in the country. However, WhatsApp, which securely encrypts messages, remained unaffected by the restrictions.

You Might Also Like

Is Wikipedia Next?
  • April 09, 2023

Is Wikipedia Next?

The Russian government ordered Wikipedia to delete 133 pages about its war on Ukraine. Now the online encyclopedia may be banned in Russia altogether.
Bye-Bye, YouTube?
  • February 23, 2023

Bye-Bye, YouTube?

The news outlet Meduza has suggested that it is likely the Russian government will block YouTube in the near future.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955