WhatsApp accused Moscow of trying to block millions of Russians from accessing secure communication after calls on the messaging app were restricted, as Russia promotes home-grown social media platforms and seeks greater control over the country's internet space.

WhatsApp is generally inaccessible in North Korea which has blocked Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other platforms since 2016. North Korea has one of the world's most strictly controlled internet systems. Russia started restricting WhatsApp from Wednesday. It had clashed with foreign tech platforms for several years over content and data storage.

WhatsApp has responded to Russia’s decision to block calls on its platform, saying Moscow is targeting the app precisely because it protects people’s right to private conversation.