Roskomnadzor announced the introduction of "partial restrictions" on calls via Telegram and WhatsApp. This was stated in the regulator's official announcement published by state media.
According to the agency, such measures are aimed at "combating criminal activity."
"Other messenger functions remain available without changes," the Roskomnadzor press release clarified.
The regulator emphasized that Telegram and WhatsApp have become "primary platforms for fraudulent calls, extortion, and recruitment of citizens into sabotage and terrorist groups."
Recently, Russian users have been reporting widespread issues with voice calls in these messengers. A representative of the "Na Svyazi" project told "Agency" that the call disruptions appear deliberate. In their opinion, authorities may be testing mechanisms to block voice communication in foreign services.
The publication "Ostorozhno Media," citing an informed government source, reported that Russian mobile operators proposed restricting voice calls in foreign messengers. In their view, this would reduce pressure from law enforcement and avoid a complete ban on WhatsApp and Telegram.