A Russian lawmaker who regulates the country’s IT said Friday that WhatsApp should prepare to leave the Russian market, warning that the messaging app would likely be put on a list of restricted software.

Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the lower house of parliament’s information technology committee, said in a statement that MAX, a state-backed messaging app integrated with government services, could gain market share if WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, left the country.

“It’s time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market,” Gorelkin said, adding that Meta is designated 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.

Reuters contributed to this report.