Boyarsky: No Plans to Disconnect WhatsApp and Telegram
Sergei Boyarsky, head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, reported that slowing down or disconnecting the messengers WhatsApp and Telegram in Russia is not planned, but they must comply with Russian legislation.
Feb 8, 2026 0
This archive image is associated with discussions on messaging app regulations and digital sovereignty in Russia.
Source:
On January 24, on the radio broadcast of Komsomolskaya Pravda, deputy Sergei Boyarsky, who heads the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, stated that the authorities do not intend to artificially restrict the operation of WhatsApp and Telegram or completely disconnect them.
«No one is going to turn off or slow down either WhatsApp* or Telegram out of spite. But they, like guests in any house, must work according to Russian laws. Open an office in Russia, cooperate in the fight against fraudsters. But neither WhatsApp* nor Telegram have responded to this,» Boyarsky was quoted as saying.
The parliamentarian also noted that with the appearance of the domestic messenger MAX, Russia has joined the ranks of states possessing digital sovereignty, on par with the United States and China.
Boyarsky called the achievements of MAX developers a feat and added that the Russian service needs to narrow the gap with global industry leaders.
WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms Inc., which has been recognized as an extremist organization and banned in Russia.
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