Russia blocks WhatsApp, Telegram calls amid security dispute

Russia has begun restricting voice calls on Telegram and WhatsApp, accusing the foreign-owned messaging platforms of failing to cooperate with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism investigations, the country’s digital development ministry said on Wednesday.

The move marks the latest escalation in Moscow’s long-running tensions with global tech companies over content regulation and data storage. The dispute has sharpened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with critics accusing the Kremlin of seeking greater control over the domestic internet space.