Putin has authorized the development of a state messaging application. Moscow wants to replace WhatsApp and Telegram with a sovereign platform

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Tuesday authorizing the development of a state -supported messaging application, integrated with government services, in Moscow's efforts to reduce dependence on foreign platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram, Reuters reports, according to News.ro.

This initiative is part of the strategy of “digital sovereignty” promoted by Kremlin, whereby authorities are trying to replace Western technologies with alternatives developed internally.

The pressures in this direction increased after the Russian invasion in Ukraine in February 2022, which led to the withdrawal of several Western companies from the Russian market.

Russian parliamentarians claim that the new application will include non -existent functionalities in already popular platforms, but critics warn that it will be a surveillance tool, which can endanger the confidentiality of communications and personal freedoms.

Mihail Klimarev, the director of the Internet Protection Society, a Russian NGO that advocates for digital rights, told Telegram that Russia is expected to reduce WhatsApp and Telegram to make room for the state application, which he warned could violate personal freedoms.

In the last year, the YouTube public in Russia has dropped to 10 million daily users, from over 40 million to mid -2024, because lower download speeds have made access.

Russian officials blamed Google for this situation, accusing the American company of not investing in Russian infrastructure and refused to play the access of the blocked Russian channels.