A Russian lawmaker involved in regulating IT indicated on Friday that WhatsApp might need to prepare for a departure from the Russian market. He warned that messaging services could soon face restrictions. Anton Gorelkin, a representative from the Congressional Information Technology Committee, suggested that a state-supported app called Max could take over market space if WhatsApp exits. He stated, “WhatsApp should start getting ready to leave Russia,” noting that Meta has been labeled a Russian extremist entity.
Since 2022, both Facebook and Instagram, owned by Meta, have been banned in Russia due to the ongoing conflict that followed the invasion of Ukraine.
Gorelkin had previously commented after President Vladimir Putin signed legislation designed to bolster Max, as Russia aims for less dependency on platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram. Recently, Russian lawmakers suggested a legal amendment that could impose fines of up to 5,000 rubles, which is about $63.
This proposal has raised eyebrows among Kremlin supporters. For instance, Margarita Simonyan voiced concerns about the challenges journalists face while covering opposition groups, such as the anti-corruption organization founded by the late activist Alexei Navalny.
Another committee member, Anton Nemkin, suggested that WhatsApp seems resolute about leaving Russia, making a strong statement that having such services in Russia’s digital realm is a violation of national security.
When asked about WhatsApp potentially exiting the Russian market, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov remarked that all services must adhere to Russian laws.
The Kremlin has long pursued digital sovereignty, promoting domestic services. However, this raises concerns that new state-backed applications may monitor user activity, with worries that Russia might intentionally slow WhatsApp to encourage users to download alternative apps.
For instance, YouTube saw a drastic reduction in its Russian audience—dropping from over 40 million users mid-2024 to under 10 million—primarily due to slowed download speeds affecting accessibility.
In financial news, shares of VK, a company that develops local digital platforms like VK Video, have seen a 1.9% increase.
Further, a recent directive from Putin included additional restrictions on the use of software originating from countries deemed “unfriendly,” particularly those that have sanctioned Russia. The deadline for complying with these new orders is set for September 1st.
Referring to these developments, Gorelkin warned that WhatsApp is likely to be among those services encountering new restrictions.
