Russian officials plan to ban WhatsApp nationwide starting August 1, according to pro-government blogger Anastasia Kashevarova.
She revealed that the messaging app was initially scheduled for blocking on July 1, but the restrictions were delayed by a month due to unspecified issues. Kashevarova alleges that Ukrainian cybercriminals are exploiting WhatsApp for fraudulent activities.
"Scammers operating from data centers in Dnipropetrovsk and Kyiv shift their cold-call victims to WhatsApp. As I've mentioned before, these criminals rent Russian accounts from teenagers. The entire operation—recruitment, fraud, and intimidation—runs through WhatsApp," she wrote.
Kashevarova noted that in Russian regions where WhatsApp was temporarily restricted, scam calls and messages dropped significantly. She hopes the platform will be fully blocked soon.
Regarding VPN services, she claimed only "Russian providers will stay available," while "hostile ones will be removed."
Sergei Boyarsky, head of the State Duma's Information Policy Committee, dismissed reports of a WhatsApp ban as "unverified rumors from unreliable sources" and refused further comment.
Amid speculation about WhatsApp and VPN restrictions, Roskomnadzor advised the public to rely solely on official announcements.