U.S.-based messaging platform WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, has been fully blocked in Russia after authorities said the company failed to comply with domestic laws, the Kremlin announced Thursday.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the move, stating that the decision had been made and implemented due to Meta’s refusal to meet Russian legal requirements. He encouraged citizens to migrate to MAX, a state-backed messaging service.

“MAX is an accessible alternative, a developing messenger, a national messenger, and it is available on the market for citizens as an alternative,” Peskov said.

Critics have described MAX as a potential surveillance tool, an allegation Russian authorities deny.

The ban follows months of mounting pressure on Meta and reflects a broader effort by Moscow to tighten control over digital communications, particularly amid the ongoing war. Russian officials have increasingly sought to establish what they call a “sovereign” communications infrastructure, requiring foreign tech firms to comply with local regulations or face restrictions.

Meta’s Russian operations had previously been labeled extremist by the government. In a statement, WhatsApp accused Moscow of attempting to force users onto a state-run platform.

“Today the Russian government attempted to fully block WhatsApp in an effort to drive people to a state-owned surveillance app,” the company said.

Meta added that restricting access to the platform would isolate more than 100 million users from what it described as private and secure communication, calling the move a setback for digital safety in Russia.