A Russian lawmaker overseeing the country’s IT sector announced Friday that WhatsApp might soon exit the Russian market, suggesting the messaging app could be added to a list of restricted software.

Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the lower house of parliament’s information technology committee, expressed in a statement that MAX, a state-backed messaging platform that works with government services, might expand its market presence if WhatsApp, owned by Meta, withdrew from Russia.

“It’s time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market,” Gorelkin stated, emphasizing that Meta is classified as an extremist organization in Russia.

Facebook and Instagram, both also owned by Meta, have been banned in Russia since 2022, when Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in a war that continues.

President Vladimir Putin signed a law authorizing the development of a state-backed messaging app integrated with government services. (Sergei Bobylyov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

The Kremlin released a list of instructions this week from Putin, including a directive to introduce additional restrictions on the use in Russia of software, including communication services produced in “unfriendly countries” that have imposed sanctions against Russia.

Putin gave a deadline of Sept. 1.

Referring to Putin’s order, Gorelkin said WhatsApp would likely be among the communication services to face new restrictions.