For its part, WhatsApp, for years, was the “last man standing” among Western social media sites in Russia and continued to run even when Facebook and Instagram were both banned in 2022. That epoch came to a formal end yesterday. Russian messaging regulator Roskomnadzor has ordered to shut down the service for good, sweeping out more than 100 million users.
Why was WhatsApp Banned?
Three things are pushing the Kremlin now to cut WhatsApp loose:
- Refusal to Provide Secure Data: Russia’s law requires all messaging services to maintain user data on its own domestic servers and to supply security services with “decryption keys” for anti-terrorism investigations. Meta routinely rejected the request, saying it’s committed to end-to-end encryption.
- Meta designation: Meta has been labeled as an “extremist organization” in Russia since 2022. WhatsApp initially received a pass because of its utility, but its government now views its secure encryption as a national security risk.
- Push for “Digital Sovereignty”: The ban goes beyond simply blocking a western app; it seeks to force a controlled domestic ecosystem a reality in which the state can both monitor and, in some cases, regulate the flow of information by force over a population of 100 million people.
The Role of the MAX App
The MAX App, created by state-owned tech conglomerate VK, that will replace WhatsApp and Telegram has become mandatory to the official government. Introduced in early 2025, it is now required.
What makes MAX different?
- The “Super-App” Model: Like WeChat, MAX is not just a chatthing platform. It connected with Gosuslugi (the state services portal), and lets users to pay taxes, and legally sign signing document in digital signature and banking service.
- Unidentity: You must use a Russian (+7) or Belarusian (+375) phone number to register and they’re usually based around a user’s national ID.
- Pre installation: For smartphones, tablets, and smart TVs sold in Russia as of September 2025 MAX (automated product) is required pre-installed.
- Concerns of surveillance: Critics and representatives of Meta have portrayed MAX as a “state-owned surveillance app." Even though it has “secure” messaging, it lacks the verifiable, independent end-to-end encryption that apps like WhatsApp offer.
The Impact on Citizens
The ban has been a bind for families and businesses. While many turn to VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) for staying connected, the Russian government has, over a series of "phased restrictions," ramped up the rate of VPN protocols usage so as make outarounds increasingly unstable.
It's becoming a choice for most ordinary citizens: Take the MAX app as part of your daily life or go through all sorts of government bureaucracy or the person may actually stop talking to the outside world.
