WhatsApp faces possible exit from Russian market

WhatsApp should prepare to exit the Russian market, a lawmaker overseeing the IT sector said Friday, as Russia moves closer to restricting the messaging app owned by Meta Platforms.

Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the information technology committee in Russia's lower house of parliament, said WhatsApp is likely to be added to a list of restricted software following a recent law signed by President Vladimir Putin to develop a state-backed messaging app called MAX.

Gorelkin said in a Telegram post that MAX could gain users if WhatsApp left the country. He added that Meta, which owns WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, is designated as an extremist organization in Russia.

Facebook and Instagram have been banned in the country since 2022. WhatsApp, however, remains widely used, with about 68% of Russians using the app daily.

Another committee member, Anton Nemkin, said WhatsApp’s presence in Russia was a breach of national security, according to remarks published by TASS news agency.

The Kremlin has pushed for digital sovereignty and supported local alternatives. Critics warn that the new state app could monitor user activity, and say Russia might throttle WhatsApp speeds to drive people to MAX.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that all services must comply with Russian law.

This week, lawmakers passed legislation imposing fines for accessing online content deemed extremist, which includes services banned in Russia and materials from opposition groups.

The Kremlin also released a list of new instructions from Putin, including a September 1 deadline for restricting foreign software from countries that have sanctioned Russia.

Shares in VK, a state-backed tech firm developing local services like VK Video, rose 1.9% Friday.