We explain what is currently happening with foreign messengers in Russia: which ones continue to operate and which have already been blocked. The situation as of April 2026.
Developed by the Chinese company Tencent. It operates stably in Russia.
Most commonly used for communication with partners from China and Southeast Asia.
Important: in Roskomnadzor order No. 22 dated 21.02.2023, the service is listed as an unacceptable channel for transmitting personal data in a corporate environment. There are no restrictions for personal use.
KakaoTalk
A messenger by the South Korean company Kakao Corp.
Works without VPN and can be registered with a Russian phone number. In Russia, it is gradually attracting users looking for alternatives to blocked services. Standard functionality: chats, calls, video communication, stickers, channels.
LINE
Developed by the Japanese company LINE Corporation.
Available in Russian app stores and launches without additional settings.
In Russia, the audience is small, so it is rarely used for массовое общения внутри страны используется редко.
IMO
Owned by Baby Penguin (Cyprus / USA).
Works without restrictions and does not require additional setup. Simple interface, maintains stable connection even with weak internet.
In 2025, the number of users in Russia increased significantly — about 24 times. This is largely due to convenient video calls and simple registration without extra steps.
Microsoft Teams
A product of Microsoft (USA).
Formally available in Russia, however corporate support for Russian clients has been discontinued.
Because of this, some functions may work unstably — primarily integrations with cloud services, corporate tools, and some authentication methods.
For personal use, there are no direct restrictions; basic chat and calling features are generally available.
Gem Space
An international super-app messenger (UK). As of April 2026, it operates stably in Russia without VPN and is not included in the Roskomnadzor registry of banned resources.
Positioned as a platform for personal and corporate communication: end-to-end encryption, video conferencing, business chats, AI assistant.
Important: after the blocking of other services in 2025–2026, audience growth in Russia has been recorded. At the same time, the company states that it has no Russian legal entities in its holding structure. For transferring personal data in a business environment, it is recommended to уточнять актуальные требования Роскомнадзора.
Blocked or restricted services
Viber
A messenger by the Japanese company Rakuten. In Russia, it has been blocked since December 13, 2024. Earlier, since March 2023, companies were prohibited from transmitting customer personal data through it. The full blocking became the final stage of restrictions.
WhatsApp*
A product of Meta*, USA. Fully blocked since February 11, 2026.
Before that, restrictions were introduced gradually: since November 2025, throttling began, by December — speed dropped by 70–80%.
Important: Meta is recognized as an extremist organization in Russia, therefore the use of its services in business is associated with legal risks.
Telegram
A messenger with an office in the UAE, founded by Pavel Durov.
Since February 10, 2026, a phased slowdown of the service has begun. By March, the share of unavailable requests to Telegram in Russia reached about 80%.
Calls have been disabled since August 2025. There is no stable access without additional technical solutions as of April 2026.
Signal
A messenger by Signal Foundation (USA), focused on privacy. Blocked since August 2024.
The reasons are refusal to register as an information dissemination organizer and requirements for data localization. An additional factor was end-to-end encryption.
Discord
A platform by Discord Inc., USA. Blocked since October 8, 2024.
It was used not only by gamers, but also for work chats and communities. Restrictions affected both the web version and applications.
Snapchat
A product of Snap Inc., USA. Blocked in October 2025.
In Russia, it was a niche service, but it was used for visual communication. The blocking became part of the general policy of regulating foreign platforms.
Threema
A Swiss messenger focused on privacy. Blocked in the Russian Federation.
The audience in Russia was small, but the service fell under general requirements for foreign platforms, including data localization and registration in the ORI registry.
Facebook Messenger*
Facebook Messenger (Messenger) is an instant messaging application developed by Meta*. Like other services of this company, they are blocked in the territory of the Russian Federation.
Use for commercial purposes in Russia is prohibited due to the company’s status.
Instagram Direct*
This refers to the internal messenger of the Instagram social network, intended for exchanging personal messages between users. Blocked together with the platform.
Legal risks are similar to other Meta services.
* Meta is recognized as an extremist organization in Russia. Its activities are prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation. Mentioning the brand, corporate promotion, and integration of Meta products into commercial activities may entail administrative or criminal liability.
Legal aspects and data security
The use of messengers in Russia is regulated by a number of нормативных актов. Their violation leads to fines, restriction of company activities and other liability measures.
For individuals
трафов for personal use of WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and other blocked applications are not предусмотрено, and formally no one prohibits installing and using them.
The only thing is that access to such services may be restricted at any moment and without warning.
For businesses and sole proprietors
For businesses, the restrictions are more serious.
Since 2023, it is prohibited to transfer customer data through foreign messengers if this data is stored outside Russia. Since June 2025, WhatsApp, Telegram and similar services are completely prohibited for work correspondence. Placing advertising in blocked services is also a violation, already of another law. As for using products of companies recognized as extremist (primarily this concerns Meta services), one may receive an administrative fine or even a criminal case.
Data storage requirements
According to Federal Law No. 152 “On Personal Data”, information about citizens of Russia must be stored on servers located within the country.
Most foreign messengers do not meet this requirement , and therefore often fall under restrictions or blocking.
Risks for the public sector
For government bodies, companies with state participation and their contractors, stricter requirements apply. Foreign messengers cannot be used for official correspondence — this is закреплено in internal rules and recommendations of FSTEC.
Stable Russian messengers
Against the background of blocking foreign services, Russian solutions look more reliable. They better comply with legal requirements and depend less on external restrictions.
eXpress
A Russian platform: a secure messenger, calls, video conferencing, chatbots, mail and mini-applications and much more.
A free plan is available for all users and corporate plans with extended capabilities. Overview of plans and pricing.
Functions:
- end-to-end encryption
- audio and video calls
- video conferences up to 1000 participants
- screen sharing
- meeting recording
- cloud storage
- chatbots for automation
- AI assistant
- channels and groups
- reactive messages
- editing and deleting messages
- customizable workspaces
- integrations with corporate systems (CRM, ERP, 1C)
- two-factor authentication
- admin panel for team management
Complies with 152-FZ and FSTEC, data is stored in Russia. Suitable for personal communication and business tasks. Works stably without VPN.
VK Messenger
Suitable both for regular users: personal chats, calls and video communication, and for business: chatbots, mailings, community management, integration with the VK store and built-in promotion tools.
There are chatbots, mailings, work with communities, VK store and built-in promotion tools.
Most often used in retail, services, education and media and where the main audience is under 40 years old.
Connects easily and does not require complex setup.
Yandex Messenger
Available for free to all users: suitable for personal chats, audio and video calls. There is screen sharing, synchronization with calendar and mail.
Convenient for businesses that use Yandex 360, Metrica or advertising tools. A good option for internal correspondence and communication with users of the ecosystem — Taxi, Food, Lavka, Market.
Works stably without VPN, data is stored in Russia, complies with 152-FZ. Connects easily, without complex setup.
Advantages of Russian solutions
- availability in the territory of the Russian Federation;
- compliance with the requirements of 152-FZ and FSTEC;
- data storage on Russian servers;
- Russian language and prompt technical support;
- integration with popular domestic business services.
If stable communication is important to you — especially for work — it is better to rely on Russian solutions. They work in current conditions without unnecessary complexity.
The data is актуальны as of April 2026. Before choosing a tool, it is recommended to check the current status of the service in the official Roskomnadzor registry and consult with lawyers regarding compliance of your activities with the requirements of Federal Law No. 149, Federal Law No. 152 and related regulatory acts.
