Russia has blocked Snapchat and Apple’s FaceTime, adding them to the list of Western apps that no longer work in the country. The news was reported by Interfax. This step didn’t come out of nowhere. For a long time now, the Russian government has been changing how people inside the country communicate and how much access they have to platforms from outside Russia. Officials say the ban is about security, but it clearly fits into a larger plan.

According to Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, Snapchat and FaceTime were being used for criminal purposes. Authorities claimed the apps were involved in activities such as terrorism, recruitment, and online fraud. Because of this, access to both services was blocked nationwide. As with many similar decisions in the past, no detailed public proof was shared to explain how widespread or serious these issues actually were.

This kind of action has become familiar since the Ukraine war began in 2022. One by one, foreign platforms have been restricted or removed. Facebook and Instagram were among the first. X followed later. YouTube has been slowed down, making it harder to use. Recently, even Roblox, a gaming platform mainly used by children, was blocked. Seen in this context, banning Snapchat and FaceTime feels like another step in the same direction.

At the same time, Russia has been encouraging the use of its own digital platforms. VK, a company closely connected to the state, has launched an app called Max. It combines messaging, banking services, document storage, and access to government features. When foreign apps are removed, people are left with fewer choices and are pushed toward these local alternatives.

Authorities are also trying to restrict VPN services, which many users rely on to bypass internet blocks. WhatsApp, which remains the most widely used messaging app in Russia, has also been warned that it could be banned for violating local laws. If that happens, it would seriously affect how people communicate on a daily basis.

The ban on Snapchat and FaceTime is not only about crime or safety. It shows a broader effort to control online communication and reduce foreign influence. It is still debatable that is this actually protects users or simply restricting their freedom , but the overall orders of Russia’s is becoming clearer with each new restriction.