Users of WhatsApp* and Telegram in southern Russia are experiencing significant disruptions as reports of outages continue to emerge. The state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has attributed these issues to government-imposed restrictions aimed at combating criminal activities associated with foreign messaging platforms.
Government Actions and Regional Impact
According to “Caucasian Knot,” the outages were particularly pronounced on the afternoon and evening of October 21, affecting regions such as Krasnodar Krai, Adygea, Volgograd, and Astrakhan Oblasts, alongside Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, and Stavropol Krai. Information security expert Alexei Uchakin has suggested that these restrictions may be part of a broader strategy to test tools for blocking and filtering communications through these instant messaging applications.
On October 22, TASS reported that Roskomnadzor confirmed the partial restrictions on Telegram and WhatsApp*, clarifying that these measures are a direct response to the misuse of these platforms for extortion and recruitment into illegal activities. The agency noted that repeated requests for countermeasures from the messaging app owners have gone unanswered.
Widespread Complaints and User Experience
The restrictions began on the afternoon of October 20 and initially targeted southern regions. However, by October 21 and 22, complaints had spread to other parts of the country, with the “On the Line” project indicating that users from 34 regions had reported issues accessing the apps.
Data from DownDetector highlighted a surge in complaints about Telegram outages, peaking between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Moscow time on October 22, with the Volgograd region experiencing a notable volume of reports. WhatsApp* users began encountering difficulties as early as 8:30 a.m. that same day, with issues peaking around noon and remaining prevalent until late afternoon. Comments from users on DownDetector indicated that the outages were particularly severe in Krasnodar, Vladikavkaz, and other areas in North Ossetia.
Historical Context and Ongoing Restrictions
Access to Telegram has faced challenges in Dagestan, where, as reported by “Caucasian Knot,” the messenger was effectively blocked following recommendations from law enforcement agencies. The Minister of Digital Development for Dagestan, Yuri Gamzatov, disclosed in March that the app had been rendered non-operational in the region, a decision that was only publicly acknowledged months later. Although there was a brief period of access during a visit from a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson in late May, the service was promptly restricted again shortly thereafter.
Telegram and WhatsApp* are blocked by authorities in southern Russia.
Users of WhatsApp* and Telegram in southern Russia are experiencing significant disruptions as reports of outages continue to emerge. The state communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has attributed these issues to government-imposed restrictions aimed at combating criminal activities associated with foreign messaging platforms.
Government Actions and Regional Impact
According to “Caucasian Knot,” the outages were particularly pronounced on the afternoon and evening of October 21, affecting regions such as Krasnodar Krai, Adygea, Volgograd, and Astrakhan Oblasts, alongside Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia, and Stavropol Krai. Information security expert Alexei Uchakin has suggested that these restrictions may be part of a broader strategy to test tools for blocking and filtering communications through these instant messaging applications.
On October 22, TASS reported that Roskomnadzor confirmed the partial restrictions on Telegram and WhatsApp*, clarifying that these measures are a direct response to the misuse of these platforms for extortion and recruitment into illegal activities. The agency noted that repeated requests for countermeasures from the messaging app owners have gone unanswered.
Widespread Complaints and User Experience
The restrictions began on the afternoon of October 20 and initially targeted southern regions. However, by October 21 and 22, complaints had spread to other parts of the country, with the “On the Line” project indicating that users from 34 regions had reported issues accessing the apps.
Data from DownDetector highlighted a surge in complaints about Telegram outages, peaking between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Moscow time on October 22, with the Volgograd region experiencing a notable volume of reports. WhatsApp* users began encountering difficulties as early as 8:30 a.m. that same day, with issues peaking around noon and remaining prevalent until late afternoon. Comments from users on DownDetector indicated that the outages were particularly severe in Krasnodar, Vladikavkaz, and other areas in North Ossetia.
Historical Context and Ongoing Restrictions
Access to Telegram has faced challenges in Dagestan, where, as reported by “Caucasian Knot,” the messenger was effectively blocked following recommendations from law enforcement agencies. The Minister of Digital Development for Dagestan, Yuri Gamzatov, disclosed in March that the app had been rendered non-operational in the region, a decision that was only publicly acknowledged months later. Although there was a brief period of access during a visit from a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson in late May, the service was promptly restricted again shortly thereafter.