WhatsApp and Telegram Blocked

On Tuesday, August 12, complaints of video and call failures on WhatsApp and Telegram, the two most used messaging apps in Russia, skyrocketed. On August 13, Roskomnadzor confirmed it had implemented a "partial restriction" of calls through these apps, which many Russians use to communicate with friends and family abroad.

The service Downdetector began receiving mass reports of WhatsApp and Telegram calls not working. Most complaints attributed the failed calls to the users' internet connection. However, on August 12, journalist Ksenia Sobchak said on her Telegram channel, Krovaya Barnya (Bloody Lady), that Roskomnadzor had decided to block calls on the two messengers. According to Sobchak, the ban was going to be promoted "under the auspices of fighting terrorists." President Putin's alleged goddaughter said regular correspondence would be available on both apps.

Roskomnadzor confirmed Sobchak's post after it announced a ban on phone and video calls on WhatsApp and Telegram. The government agency said the "partial restriction" was implemented due to "foreign messengers" being used to "deceive and extort money, to involve Russian citizens in sabotage and terrorist activities."

The Ministry of Digital Development said it would restore calls on both apps if they "comply with the requirements of Russian legislation." According to Forbes and Sobchak, Russia asked its telecommunications companies to block calls on "foreign messengers."

According to Novaya Gazeta Evropa, the ban on phone calls on WhatsApp and Telegram was adopted to lure Russians to use messengers in a "white list." Russia has been working to launch a national messaging app. The measure has been criticized for the potential access it could give to the FSB to surveil chats and leak data.

To bypass the latest restrictions, lawyer Sarkis Darbinian recommended installing a VPN with obfuscation and a Kill Switch to increase privacy. Obfuscation hides the fact that a user is using a VPN, making the internet traffic appear normal. The Kill Switch function stops the internet connection as soon as it detects that the VPN is interrupted, preventing data leaks.

Another cybersecurity expert, who decided to remain anonymous, told Novaya Gazeta Evropa that Russians should have 4 to 5 VPNs installed and regularly supply them with fresh keys. The publication also recommended using Signal. The app is end-to-end encrypted, so nobody except the participants of a conversation can read the messages, including the developer. Signal is blocked in Russia, but it works when using a VPN.

WhatsApp's complete ban in Russia appears imminent. On July 18, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma IT Committee Anton Gorelkin said, "It's time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian Market." Therefore, Novaya Gazeta Evropa advised installing alternative end-to-end encrypted messaging apps to maintain secure communication with loved ones, including DeltaChat, Jami, Briar, and Bridgefy.