Putin authorises creation of state messaging app to combat WhatsApp and Telegram
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 24, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 24, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Putin has authorized a state messaging app to reduce reliance on WhatsApp and Telegram, aiming for digital sovereignty.
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed a law authorising the development of a state-backed messaging app integrated with government services, as Moscow strives to reduce its dependence on platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Russia has long sought to establish what it calls digital sovereignty by promoting home-grown services. Its push to replace foreign tech platforms became more urgent as some Western companies pulled out of the Russian market following Moscow's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Russian lawmakers say the state app will have functionality that the likes of Telegram and Meta Platforms' WhatsApp do not. Critics say the fact that Russia will exercise state control over it poses risks to privacy and personal freedoms.
Mikhail Klimarev, director of the Internet Protection Society, a Russian digital rights group, said earlier this month he expected Russia to slow the speeds of WhatsApp and Telegram to encourage people to switch over to the new app.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Putin signed a law authorizing the development of a state-backed messaging app integrated with government services.
Russia aims to establish digital sovereignty by promoting home-grown services and reducing reliance on foreign tech platforms.
Lawmakers claim the state app will include functionalities that Telegram and WhatsApp do not offer.
Critics argue that state control over the app poses risks to privacy and freedom of expression.
Mikhail Klimarev suggested that Russia may slow the speeds of WhatsApp and Telegram to encourage users to adopt the state messaging app.
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