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Russia Partially Restricts WhatsApp and Telegram Voice Calls

Roskomnadzor says calls will resume only if the platforms open Russian entities to meet law-enforcement demands.

FILE - People look at their phones near the Kremlin in Moscow, July 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)
WhatsApp says Russia is trying to block its services, vows to keep encryption.
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FILE - Police detain an activist protesting a bill that punishes online searches for information that is deemed “extremist” outside the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, in Moscow, Russia, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo, File)

Overview

  • Russia began limiting voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram on August 13, citing fraud, extortion, sabotage and terrorism concerns.
  • Independent checks and user reports confirmed severely degraded call quality since August 11, including metallic buzzing on WhatsApp and barely functioning Telegram calls.
  • The regulator clarified that messaging and other app features remain unaffected and that restrictions target voice (and some video) calls only.
  • Meta’s WhatsApp defended its end-to-end encryption and Telegram highlighted AI-driven content moderation to combat misuse.
  • Rights groups warn the measures are part of a digital sovereignty push designed to steer users toward the state-backed Max app and expand government surveillance.