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Russian censorship agency confirms restrictions to calls on Telegram and WhatsApp


Russia’s censorship agency Roskomnadzor has announced “measures to partially limit” calls being made via the Telegram and WhatsApp messenger services, state-affiliated news agency Interfax reported on Wednesday.

In a press release, it said Telegram and WhatsApp had “become the main services used to deceive and extort money, and to get Russian citizens involved in sabotage and terrorist activities”. The move comes amid reported disruptions to Telegram and WhatsApp earlier in the week, with users complaining of difficulties making telephone calls via the apps and widespread internet outages across Russia over the past several months. Independent Russian journalist Andrey Zakharov cast doubt on Roskomnadzor’s claims on Wednesday, citing a 2024 report by the Russian Central Bank that said only 15% of cyberfraud in Russia was committed via messenger services, and that a majority of people were defrauded via SMS messages and regular mobile calls.

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