New users in Russia are no longer receiving full call and SMS confirmation messages when registering on Telegram and WhatsApp.
Allegedly, Russian mobile operators have been ordered to stop forwarding SMS and calls sent by the messengers’ contractors. According to reports, messages are reaching some numbers, but not others. For example, SMS is reaching MTS and Megafon numbers, but not Beeline numbers.
Recall that in August 2025, Roskomanadzor imposed a partial restriction on Telegram and WhatsApp calls. The agency said that it took this step “to prevent the use of data for criminal purposes.”
In October, the regulator announced that it had again imposed “partial restrictions” in response to malfunctions in the southern regions of the country.
