DDoS attack disrupts Telegram and WhatsApp in Russia
The following incident follows recent issues with platforms like YouTube and Signal as Russian authorities intensify scrutiny over internet services.
Russian users experienced difficulties accessing Telegram and WhatsApp on Wednesday due to a disruption caused by a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. The state communications monitoring service confirmed the attack but assured that the issue had been resolved and the messaging apps were functioning normally again. The disruption also affected other platforms like Wikipedia, Skype, and Discord.
The incident follows a pattern of digital disruptions in Russia, including a recent mass outage on YouTube, as authorities intensify their scrutiny of online platforms. Earlier this month, Russian users of the secure messenger app Signal also reported issues, highlighting ongoing concerns about digital communication access in the country.
Russia has a history of restricting access to popular platforms. Telegram was blocked in 2018, though the ban had minimal impact. In 2022, Moscow labelled WhatsApp’s parent company, Meta, as an ‘extremist’ organisation, leading to bans on Facebook and Instagram. However, these platforms remain accessible in Russia through VPNs.
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