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Access to the Instagram social network will be ultimately blocked at midnight on March 14, TASS reported on Friday, citing Russia’s telecom and mass media watchdog (Roskomnadzor).

"Since Instagram active users will need time to copy their photos and videos to other social networks, to notify their contacts and subscribers, Roskomnadzor took a decision to complete the procedure of blocking access to Instagram at 00 on March 14, giving used 48 hours of a transition period," it wrote on its Telegram channel.

The decision to block Instagram was made as a response to Meta Platforms, Inc.’ decision to allow calls for violence against Russian nationals on Facebook and Instagram social networks in some countries.

Earlier, the Russian prosecutor general’s office lodged a suit with court to recognize Meta Platforms Inc., which owns the Instagram and Facebook social networks, and the WhatsApp messenger, as an extremist organization and ban its operation in Russia after the company’s spokesman confirmed that Meta was temporarily lifting a ban on calls for violence against Russian nationals, including soldiers for users in some countries. Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on charges of propaganda of terrorism and instigation of hatred with the threat of the use of violence (part 2, article 205.2 and part 2, article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code).