Both platforms had their run-ins with the Russian authorities in the past. The Kremlin tried to block Telegram between 2018-20 but failed. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the government blocked major social media like Facebook and Instagram, and outlawed their parent company, Meta, that also owns WhatsApp, as extremist.

In a latest crackdown on freedom of speech, Russia has restricted messaging apps WhatsApp and Telegram, accusing the foreign-owned platforms of failing to share information with law enforcement