Russia Moves to Slow Telegram's Messaging Service
Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Minister Maksut Shadayev disclosed the action during a State Duma IT Committee session, revealing that Telegram had disregarded approximately 150,000 government demands to take down prohibited content — ranging from child sexual abuse material to drug-related posts. He confirmed that formal proceedings are underway across those cases.
Shadayev further disclosed that tens of thousands of the flagged violations involved fraudulent activity, with over 30,000 tied to sabotage operations and terror-related incidents. He also cited national security concerns, warning that "foreign intelligence agencies" had gained access to Telegram communications — a factor he identified as central to the throttling decision.
The restrictions, he clarified, target media file transfers rather than text-based messaging, meaning written correspondence continues to function normally.
"Our military personnel can continue communicating there, but we hope that over time they will switch to another messenger," Shadayev said.
The announcement was preceded by a stark warning from Andrey Klishas, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, who told Sputnik Radio that Telegram risked a full ban in Russia should it continue flouting domestic legal obligations.
The move is part of a broader pattern of tightening controls over Western communication platforms. Russian authorities recently moved against WhatsApp after its parent company, Meta, allegedly refused to meet Russian regulatory demands. In the aftermath, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov publicly called on Russians to migrate to "Max," a state-engineered messaging platform that became mandatory on newly sold devices starting in 2025.
Despite sustained regulatory pressure from Roskomnadzor — particularly over data localization mandates and counterterrorism compliance — Telegram retains a substantial user base inside Russia, including active military users.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has previously characterized such government interventions as deliberate efforts to funnel users onto state-surveilled platforms, a position that mirrors concerns voiced by Meta regarding politically motivated censorship.
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