As a result of this event, the publication reports that access to WhatsApp and YouTube in Russia is now only possible through a VPN. NSDI represents a network of Russian public DNS servers created by Roskomnadzor to ensure the operation of the internet within the framework of the "sovereign Runet" law.
According to "Kommersant," the NSDI registry only lacks the domains whatsapp.com and web.whatsapp.com, while the technical domain whatsapp.net and the quick link address wa.me are still available. Additionally, on February 10, the YouTube domain was removed from the NSDI.
An expert quoted by RBC believes that the introduction of restrictions on YouTube and WhatsApp is aimed at slowing down Telegram. Jemali Avalishvili, managing director of the infrastructure integrator "Ultimatek," explained that the equipment responsible for network protection is operating at its limits, and simultaneous "pressure" on several major platforms creates significant problems.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated in an interview with TASS that the restoration of WhatsApp's operation is possible if Meta shows a willingness to cooperate with the Russian authorities and complies with local laws. According to him, if the company continues to ignore the requirements of Russian legislation, the chances of restoring the messenger's operation will be extremely low.
It is worth noting that on February 10, Roskomnadzor issued a statement saying that Telegram does not comply with Russian laws and does not take the necessary measures to ensure user data security. In this regard, the authorities decided to continue imposing restrictions on the messenger's operation.
In August 2025, calls through Telegram and WhatsApp were restricted in Russia. At that time, WhatsApp accused the Russian authorities of blocking the messenger for surveillance purposes, and by the end of the year, Roskomnadzor threatened a complete block of WhatsApp if the requirements for compliance with legislation were not met.
