Putin completely blocking Telegram and WhatsApp (2025-08-13)

Roskomnadzor announced blocking of calls to Telegram and WhatsApp. Calls will be restored if messengers "fulfill the requirements"

Roskomnadzor has officially announced the blocking of calls via Telegram and WhatsApp messengers. The agency says that it made the decision due to “numerous requests from citizens”; calls will be restored if the messengers "comply with the requirements of the 'law'".

The Roskomnadzor statement says that Telegram and WhatsApp have become the main voice services used by fraudsters to deceive and extort money, as well as to involve in sabotage and terrorist activities. This is the conclusion reached by law enforcement agencies, the department cited.

The restriction of calls in Telegram and WhatsApp will be partial. Roskomnadzor did not specify what exactly the “partiality” of the restrictions is. The agency does not plan any other restrictions on the functionality of messengers.

Users said that "partial" means that the official DPI equipment is not able to eavesdrop on all traffic so it may selectively drop/break connections instead.

The Ministry of Digital Development promised that they would restore access to calls in Telegram and WhatsApp if the messengers met the requirements for compliance with Russian legislation.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia advised tourists leaving the country to top up their phone accounts with extra money due to the ban on calls via instant messengers.

Facts disagree

According to the survey "Cyberfraud: Portrait of the Victim", conducted by the Central Bank in 2024, messengers accounted for only 15.7% of fraudulent attacks. However, the survey did not specify what part of these attacks were calls, and not phishing messages and other methods of deception. In turn, fraudsters relied on phone calls or SMS in 45.6% of cases.