Russia Blocks Access To Signal App For Violation Of Laws Linked To Anti-Terrorist Operations: Report

Users have reported that the app would function normally when they tried to access it via a VPN or via the built-in censorship bypass mode.

Russia has reportedly blocked access to Signal, an encrypted messaging app, for violating laws linked to anti-terrorist operations. According to a report by the news agency Interfax, Russia's state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said, "Access to the Signal messaging app is blocked in connection with violation of the requirements of Russian legislation which must be complied with to prevent the use of messaging apps for terrorist and extremist aims."

Before Roskomnadzor's announcement about taking action against the instant messaging platform, hundreds of Signal users reportedly complained of glitches on the app. Notably, signal is a secure communications tool used by around a million Russians to encrypt messages and conversations. This app became significant, especially after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war. 

Users Confirms Blocking Of App

When users weren't able to access Signal like they usually do, they reported it. Internet monitoring services highlighted more than 1,500 complaints about the app not working and most of those complaints were from Moscow and St Petersburg. Users have reported that the app would function normally when they tried to access it via a VPN or via the built-in censorship bypass mode.

The author of the Telegram channel named 'For Telecom', Mikhail Klimarev, told news agency Reuters, "This indicates precisely a blocking of the messenger in Russia and not a technical problem on the Signal side." Klimarev said it was the first attempt to block Signal in Russia.

Three users from Moscow and the Krasnodar region told Reuters that it was impossible to register a new account on Signal without a VPN. When they tried entering a mobile number, Signal would display a message reading, "Server Error."

Earlier in 2018, Russian authorities initiated efforts to block access to Telegram, a popular messaging app. While this action disrupted numerous third-party services, it had a minimal impact on Telegram's availability within Russia.