Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Senator Don’t Rule Out Ban of Zoom if Firm Blocks Russian Gov’t, State Companies From Using Service

Senator Don’t Rule Out Ban of Zoom if Firm Blocks Russian Gov’t, State Companies From Using Service

On Tuesday, Russian business media reported that Zoom Video Communications, the California-based software firm specializing in videotelephony and online chat services, had restricted the use of its products among Russian state-affiliated educational institutions.

Russian lawmakers aren’t ruling out banning Zoom in Russia if the company prohibits access to its service to Russian government agencies and state companies, Alexander Bashkin, a member of the Russian Federation Council’s committee on constitutional legislation, has told Sputnik.

“Russia does not support sanctions measures, but if such a decision with respect to government agencies and state-owned companies is made, it’s possible to block this service on the territory of our country as a reciprocal, symmetrical measure,” Bashkin explained.

The senator expressed hope that Zoom would not follow through with the reported restrictive measures, saying that while private companies have the right to establish rules on who to sell to, Russia, “like any state in which this company operates, can establish its own protectionist measures in response to such whims.”

Bashkin added that the situation surrounding Zoom suggests that Russia needs to develop its own platforms, services and network infrastructure so that “no one will be able to blackmail our country with the prospect of being disconnected from the service,” and said that efforts in this direction have already been made.

For his part, Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov told reporters on Wednesday that Russian schools will be able to use a Russian-made videoconferencing system known as Spherum to replace Zoom, which is already operational.

Developed in coordination between Mail.ru Group and Rostelecom, Russia’s leading telephony provider, Spherum was launched in late March, having been tested in over 1,000 schools across 15 Russian regions. The service allows for group video conferencing for up to 100 participants, and is accessible from any device, with users also able to share videos, photos, presentations, and other school materials.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
×