MOSCOW, July 18. /TASS/. The WhatsApp messenger must comply with Russian legislation if it wants to continue operating in the country, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

He was responding to a statement by Anton Gorelkin, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, who suggested that Russia should begin preparing for WhatsApp’s potential exit from the domestic market. According to Gorelkin, the messenger, owned by Meta — an organization labeled as extremist in Russia — could soon face restrictions as part of measures against software from "unfriendly" countries.

"WhatsApp remains the most popular messaging service in many countries, including Russia," Peskov noted when asked about its use within the Kremlin and its future prospects. "In terms of user numbers, it’s the leading platform. But like any other service, it must fulfill its obligations under Russian law. All laws must be respected," he emphasized.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the Cabinet to consider additional restrictions on the use of software from unfriendly countries, including messaging services.

Gorelkin believes Russian national messenger Max could replace WhatsApp. The lawmaker noted that Max is expected to offer unique features, such as user verification through Russia’s Gosuslugi government services app, integration with other state platforms, support for digital IDs, electronic signatures, and more.