The Kremlin has officially pulled the plug on WhatsApp, leaving more than 100 million Russians in a digital blackout as the state aggressively pivots to its own "national messenger," MAX. On Thursday, the government confirmed the total block of the Meta-owned platform, citing a long-standing refusal to comply with domestic data laws. The move marks the most significant escalation in Moscow’s campaign to build a "sovereign internet" since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

While foreign platforms are being systematically dismantled, the Russian government is heavily promoting MAX, a state-backed alternative designed to function as an all-in-one "super-app." Modeled after China’s WeChat, MAX integrates everything from government services (Gosuslugi) and banking to school registrations and even age verification for purchasing alcohol.

However, the transition is far from voluntary. Reports from across Russia indicate that students and civil servants are being forced to download the app to access basic services, such as university Wi-Fi or digital entrance passes. Digital rights advocates have sounded the alarm, noting that MAX lacks end-to-end encryption and openly complies with FSB data requests, effectively turning every citizen's smartphone into a potential monitoring device.

The technical execution of the ban shows a new level of sophistication. Authorities have begun removing WhatsApp’s domain names from the National Domain Name System (NSDI), making the app essentially "invisible" to devices within Russia. Unless users employ a VPN, the app simply fails to connect.

This crackdown isn't limited to WhatsApp. The state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has also initiated "phased restrictions" on Telegram, accusing it of failing to delete banned content. The message from the Kremlin is clear: foreign tech must either surrender their encryption keys and localize their data or face permanent exile from the Russian market.