Issued on: 12/02/2026 - 17:06

WhatsApp has been fully blocked in Russia after authorities said the Meta-owned messaging app failed to comply with local laws. The Kremlin is now encouraging users to switch to a state-backed “national messenger”, a move widely seen as tightening control over online communication and free expression. FRANCE 24’s international editor Doug Herbert explains how this fits into a broader crackdown on digital freedoms in the country.

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