The exclusion of the domains whatsapp.com and web.whatsapp.com from the NSDI records was the reason for this blocking; however, the technical domain whatsapp.net and the domain wa.me remain accessible. Additionally, on February 10, the domain YouTube was also excluded. Now, as the publication indicates, access to WhatsApp and YouTube in Russia requires the use of a VPN.
According to an expert quoted in a RBC comment, the restrictive measures against these services were introduced by Roskomnadzor to slow down Telegram's operation.
“From a technical point of view, the equipment of the TSPU (technical means of countering threats installed by Roskomnadzor) is operating at its limit. The system is not designed for the simultaneous blocking of several major platforms. It’s like trying to run several heavy applications on an old computer. Moreover, Telegram is harder to block because its protection is significantly stronger,” explained Jamali Avalishvili, managing director of the infrastructure integrator "Ultimatek".
The press secretary of the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov, noted in an interview with TASS that the resumption of WhatsApp's operation will only be possible if the company Meta agrees to cooperate with the Russian authorities and complies with the country's legislation.
“If the Meta corporation meets the legal requirements and starts a dialogue with the government, then it may be possible to reach an agreement,” Peskov stated, commenting on the future of the messenger.
However, if Meta continues to ignore the demands of the Russian authorities, then “the chances of resuming operations will be minimal,” he added.
On February 10, Roskomnadzor also reported that Telegram does not comply with Russian legislation and does not take measures to ensure the security of citizens' data, which will lead to further restrictions.
In August 2025, restrictions on calls via Telegram and WhatsApp were introduced. WhatsApp accused Russia of blocking the messenger for surveillance, and at the end of the year, Roskomnadzor warned of the possibility of a complete block of WhatsApp if the legal requirements were not met.
