Russian authorities have started limiting access to Telegram, one of the country’s most widely used messaging apps, as part of efforts to steer citizens toward state-controlled digital platforms.
On Tuesday, the government announced it was restricting Telegram to “protect Russian citizens,” accusing the platform of failing to remove content officials describe as criminal and extremist.
Russia’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, said in a statement that restrictions on Telegram would remain in place “until violations of Russian law are eliminated.”
The regulator claimed that users’ personal data was not adequately protected and that the platform lacked effective measures to prevent fraud and the use of the service for criminal or extremist activities. Telegram has denied the allegations, saying it actively works to prevent abuse of its platform.
State news agency TASS reported that Telegram is facing fines totaling 64 million rubles, about 828,000 US dollars, for allegedly refusing to delete banned content and failing to comply with self-regulation requirements.
After the restrictions took effect on Tuesday, users across Russia reported significant disruptions. According to the monitoring website Downdetector, more than 11,000 complaints were filed in the past 24 hours, with many users saying the app was either inaccessible or operating more slowly than usual.
Telegram is widely used in Russia by millions of people, including members of the military, senior officials, state media and government institutions such as the Kremlin and Roskomnadzor itself.
Pavel Durov, Telegram’s Russian-born founder, said in a statement that the attempt to restrict the app would not succeed. He said Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy regardless of pressure.
Durov accused the Russian government of trying to push citizens toward a state-run messaging service designed for surveillance and political censorship. He noted that Iran had attempted a similar move eight years ago by banning Telegram in an effort to promote a government-backed alternative, but the strategy ultimately failed.
