Residents of Sverdlovsk are expressing dissatisfaction due to apparent issues with WhatsApp
In a series of unexpected events, several regions in Russia are experiencing significant internet disruptions and issues with the popular messaging app, WhatsApp.
The city in the Sverdlovsk region has been hit hard, with the internet stopping en masse at around 11:30 AM on August 11. This has caused card payments to fail due to the interruption in online services. Despite being owned by Meta, WhatsApp is currently banned in Russia, and the mobile version of the app is experiencing issues in the Sverdlovsk region, including the app not opening, messages not loading, and video calls and audio calls not working.
Similar problems are being reported in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Republic of Adygea, the Kurgan region, the Moscow region, and St. Petersburg.
However, it's important to note that there are no explicit or recent reports of technical internet or WhatsApp service outages or issues specifically in Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Tagil, Sverdlovsk Region. While authorities have been known to check messenger apps on people’s phones during certain police actions, there is no direct evidence that these activities have caused internet or WhatsApp connectivity problems.
The operation of the Telegram messenger is also frequently disrupted in the region. DownDetector portal data confirms the issues with WhatsApp in the Sverdlovsk region. WhatsApp was designated as extremist and banned in Russia, but the current issues seem to be more related to broader regional challenges revolving around socio-political issues and law enforcement activities.
For more information on internet restrictions in the region, see the site's previous coverage. For updates on the latest news in Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Tagil, residents can turn to the Telegram channels "Yekaterinburg Reading" and "Our Nizhny Tagil" respectively.
As the situation unfolds, it's crucial to stay informed and follow the updates from reliable sources.
Due to the internet disruptions in Russia, many are finding it difficult to use smartphones for online transactions in Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Tagil, Sverdlovsk Region, as card payments rely on their stability. Moreover, the popular messaging app, WhatsApp, which is banned in Russia, is experiencing issues in these cities, including failure to open, messages not loading, and malfunctioning video calls and audio calls.
