Top Headlines

Feeds

Russia Blocks WhatsApp, Throttles Telegram as Ukraine Strikes Targets and Receives New Aid

Updated (4 articles)

Russian Internet Crackdown Expands to WhatsApp and Telegram Russia attempted a full block of WhatsApp on Feb 11, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying the restriction will stay until Meta complies with Russian law [1]. Roskomnadzor simultaneously removed dozens of Western sites—including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, BBC and VPN services—from the state‑run DNS, forcing traffic through a government‑controlled system; only WhatsApp Web is blocked while the mobile app remains functional, and users can bypass the block by changing DNS [1]. On Feb 9‑10 the agency throttled Telegram traffic, describing the measure as protection against fraud and extremism, and framing it as a test that could precede a full block before the September 2026 Duma elections [2]. Russian milbloggers warned the slowdown would cripple command‑and‑control communications, especially after the loss of Starlink terminals earlier in the month [2].

Ukrainian Forces Launch Counter‑Attacks Near Dnipropetrovsk‑Zaporizhia Localized Ukrainian counter‑attacks erupted near the Dnipropetrovsk‑Zaporizhia border, with geolocated footage showing strikes on Russian positions east of the Haichur River [1]. Analysts noted Kyiv is exploiting recent Starlink terminal blocks and Telegram throttling, while a senior NATO official credited SpaceX’s restrictions for the Ukrainian gains [1]. The Ukrainian General Staff reported FP‑5 Flamingo missile and drone strikes on the GRAU ammunition depot near Kotluban (Volgograd Oblast), the Ukhta Oil Refinery in the Komi Republic, and the Michurinsk Progress Plant, all causing fires and secondary detonations [1]. Volgograd Governor Andrei Bocharov confirmed the ammunition depot fire, underscoring the strike’s impact on Russian military logistics [1].

Western Nations Announce Fresh Military Aid for Ukraine UK Defence Secretary John Healey unveiled a £540 million aid package on Feb 13, allocating £150 million to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List and £390 million for 1,000 Lightweight Multirole Missiles [1]. Dutch Defence Minister Ruben Brekelmans pledged delivery of F‑16 flight simulators to accelerate pilot training for Kyiv’s air‑defence forces [1]. An NHK report cited anonymous NATO officials claiming Japan may fund non‑lethal aid via the Prioritized Ukrainian Requirements List, but Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara denied the allegation, emphasizing continued economic and humanitarian support under Article 9 constraints [2].

Russia Bolsters War‑Industry Capacity with Foreign Machine Tools Frontelligence Insight disclosed that Uralmash Plant No. 9 secured at least 22 machine tools from Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, enabling modernization of barrels for Koalitsiya, Msta howitzers and T‑14, T‑90, T‑62 and T‑72 tanks [2]. The new equipment could lift the 2024 bottleneck of roughly 50 artillery barrels per year and expand refurbishment capacity for Russia’s armored and artillery fleets [2]. Meanwhile, the Spanish Ministry of Defense reported that on Jan 28 Spanish EF‑18M Hornets intercepted a Russian Su‑30SM2 near the Baltic Sea, illustrating ongoing Russian “Phase Zero” activities aimed at destabilising Europe [2].

Sources

Related Tickers

by TradingView

Videos (4)

Timeline

2022 – Russia launches a full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, prompting a cascade of internet controls that later include bans on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and throttling of YouTube, establishing a precedent for later platform blocks. [2]

2023 – Turkey bans Roblox over child‑safety concerns, marking the first national prohibition of the user‑generated gaming platform and foreshadowing later bans in Russia and Singapore. [1]

2024 – Russia blocks Signal and Viber, extending its legal requirement that messaging services register with Roskomnadzor and grant FSB access, a framework later applied to Roblox and other apps. [2]

Oct 2025 – Roskomnadzor blocks Snapchat, citing its use for terrorist recruitment, fraud and extremist content, reinforcing the regulator’s pattern of targeting platforms popular with youth. [2]

Nov 2025 – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton files a lawsuit against Roblox, accusing the company of ignoring child‑protection laws and deceiving parents about safety risks, intensifying U.S. scrutiny of the platform. [1]

Dec 3, 2025 – Roskomnadzor bans Roblox nationwide, alleging extremist, LGBT and sexual‑harassment content, and cites the platform’s user‑generated model as a barrier to effective monitoring. [1]

Dec 4, 2025 – Roskomnadzor blocks Apple’s FaceTime and confirms the earlier October Snapchat block, expanding the crackdown on communication tools used for recruitment and fraud. [2]

Dec 2025 – Roblox announces it will cease child‑adult chat, a policy shift aimed at reducing sexual‑harassment risks for its 8 million monthly Russian users. [1]

2025 – Conflict Intelligence Team records 2,919 civilian deaths and 17,775 injuries in Ukraine, the deadliest year since 2022, highlighting the humanitarian toll that underpins heightened security measures in Russia. [3]

Jan 28, 2026 – Spanish EF‑18M Hornets intercept a Russian Su‑30SM2 near NATO’s Baltic Air Policing zone, illustrating “Phase Zero” Russian air activities that raise regional security alarms. [4]

Feb 1, 2026 – Russia loses several Starlink terminals, weakening its battlefield communications and prompting officials to test alternative C2 channels such as Telegram. [4]

Feb 9‑10, 2026 – Roskomnadzor throttles Telegram traffic for two days, claiming the move combats fraud and extremism; milbloggers warn the slowdown could cripple Russian command‑and‑control. [4]

Feb 10, 2026 – Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accuses the United States of bad‑faith negotiations and invokes the 2022 Istanbul Protocol to reject security guarantees for Ukraine, signaling a diplomatic hardening. [4]

Feb 11, 2026 – Frontelligence Insight reports that Uralmash Plant No. 9 acquires at least 22 foreign machine tools, enabling increased production of artillery barrels and tank gun tubes and easing a 2024 bottleneck. [4]

Feb 11, 2026 – Russian milbloggers warn that Telegram throttling will “profoundly” impair military communications, emphasizing the platform’s role as a lifeline for C2. [4]

Feb 11, 2026 – Unverified reports suggest Japan may fund non‑lethal aid to Ukraine via the Prioritized Ukrainian Requirements List, though Japanese officials deny any military assistance. [4]

Feb 11, 2026 – The Kremlin attempts a full block of WhatsApp, citing Meta’s non‑compliance with Russian law; the restriction affects over 100 million users and is lifted only after compliance. [3]

Feb 11, 2026 – Roskomnadzor removes dozens of Western sites—including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, BBC and VPN services—from Russia’s national DNS, forcing traffic through state‑controlled servers. [3]

Feb 13, 2026 – The UK pledges £540 million in air‑defence aid to Ukraine, including £150 million for the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List and £390 million for 1,000 Lightweight Multirole Missiles; the Netherlands adds F‑16 simulators to accelerate pilot training. [3]

Feb 13, 2026 – Ukraine’s General Staff confirms strikes on the GRAU ammunition depot near Kotluban, the Ukhta Oil Refinery and the Michurinsk Progress Plant using FP‑5 Flamingo missiles and drones, causing fires and secondary detonations. [3]

Feb 13, 2026 – NATO officials credit SpaceX’s Starlink restrictions for recent Ukrainian gains, as Ukraine exploits reduced Russian communications to conduct localized counter‑attacks near the Dnipropetrovsk‑Zaporizhia border. [3]

Social media (20 posts)

All related articles (4 articles)

External resources (227 links)