Telegram and WhatsApp work restricted in occupied Crimea
30 October 2025 15:32
Telegram and WhatsApp messengers have been partially restricted in Crimea, which is under Russian occupation, according to the regional telecom operator Volna, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“Measures to block these applications are being taken by Roskomnadzor, this applies to subscribers of all operators and providers in Russia,” the statement said.
According to the so-called Ministry of Information of Crimea, residents were advised to download the Max messenger, where they can already explore the channels of key media, government pages and other information channels, including the channel of the telecom operator Volna.
on October 22, Roskomnadzor officially announced that it had begun to restrict WhatsApp and Telegram in Russia, citing the need to “counteract criminals.” Initially, access problems arose in the south of the country: residents of Pyatigorsk, Makhachkala, Astrakhan, Sochi, Rostov-on-Don and other cities. Similar complaints were received from subscribers in the Urals, the Far East, and Siberia. In total, the blocking of messengers affected at least 34 regions of Russia.
Putin demands to restrict foreign messengers
In Russia, on the orders of dictator Vladimir Putin, additional restrictions have been imposed on the use of software, including messengers, developed in “unfriendly countries.”
These initiatives are closely related to the recently adopted law on the creation of a national digital platform. Its central element is the MAX messenger developed by the state. It is integrated with services such as Gosposlugi and allows you to confirm your identity, right to benefits, etc.
Human rights activists have already called the MAX platform a new tool for mass surveillance. According to Mikhail Klimarev, head of the Internet Protection Society, the messenger’s privacy policy explicitly states that all user data can be transferred to government agencies. The FSB, the Interior Ministry, the Central Bank, the Tax Service, and even the Federal Service for Alcohol and Tobacco Control will have access.
