Tech · 5 April 2026
Russia blocking Telegram and WhatsApp to force state-run app
Russian authorities began restricting Telegram access on 14 March and ordered WhatsApp blocked in February, with experts expecting full Telegram shutdown by April. The Kremlin wants citizens to switch to the state-backed messaging app Max, which cybersecurity experts widely regard as a surveillance tool. The UK Ministry of Defence also reported a mobile internet shutdown in the Moscow region that has been in effect since 7 March.
Reported by GlobalSecurity · How we write briefs