Russian Authorities Throttle Telegram Amid Content Disputes
Maksut Shadayev, the country’s minister for digital development, communications and mass media, announced during a State Duma IT Committee session that the regulator acted under federal law after Telegram failed to respond to roughly 150,000 demands to delete banned content. The materials in question reportedly include child pornography and posts connected to drug trafficking. He noted that these matters carry formal procedural status and remain under investigation, according to official accounts.
Shadayev further stated that a significant portion of the alleged infractions involved fraud schemes, adding that more than 30,000 cases were associated with sabotage activities and terrorist incidents.
Addressing security concerns, the minister claimed that “foreign intelligence agencies” have access to Telegram correspondence, presenting this as an additional factor behind the authorities’ decision.
He clarified that the imposed measure affects the transfer speed of media files, while ordinary text messaging continues without disruption.
“Our military personnel can continue communicating there, but we hope that over time they will switch to another messenger,” Shadayev said.
Separately, Andrey Klishas, who chairs the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, warned in remarks to radio media earlier in the week that Telegram risks being fully blocked in Russia if it does not meet domestic legal standards, as reported by outlets.
The development follows a broader tightening of controls over foreign communication services. In recent actions, officials placed restrictions on WhatsApp after its parent company, Meta, was accused of failing to adhere to Russian legal obligations, according to reports.
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