According to Maksut Shadayev, the Russian Minister of Digital Development, the Ministry has not received official confirmation from Facebook, the parent company of Meta, that WhatsApp will introduce a Russian language channel feature within Russia. His remark was reported by TASS, the Russian news agency.
Shadayev noted that there has been no assurance from the company about the launch of a WhatsApp channel in the country. He added that a formal inquiry had been sent to the firm to inquire about the potential appearance of this feature in Russia.
Meta announced the plan to open WhatsApp channels on the evening of September 13, 2023, and stated that the feature was to roll out in 150 countries, including Russia, in the following months. This plan prompted swift attention from Russian lawmakers and officials.
Shortly after the announcement, Anton Gorelkin, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Information Policy Committee, authorized an examination of the Russian Federation’s official stance on the operation and possible blocking of WhatsApp in the country. Alexander Khinshtein, who chairs the same committee, later expressed support for Gorelkin’s position.
In subsequent remarks, Shadayev conveyed optimism in conversations with the country’s ambassador, expressing confidence that the situation would resolve favorably for Russia. In contrast, authorities in the Federation Council had previously voiced concerns that WhatsApp channels might present information security risks to Russians.