Russian authorities have begun limiting access to Telegram, citing national security and legal concerns as part of a broader effort to steer citizens toward state-controlled digital platforms.
The country’s telecommunications regulator, Roskomnadzor, announced that access to the messaging service would be restricted for the “protection of Russian citizens.” Officials accused Telegram of failing to remove content deemed criminal or extremist and said restrictions would remain in place until alleged violations of Russian law are addressed.
State news agency TASS reported that Telegram faces fines totaling 64 million rubles (approximately $828,000) for refusing to delete prohibited material and failing to comply with self-regulation requirements.
Following the announcement, users across Russia reported widespread disruptions. Monitoring platform Downdetector logged more than 11,000 complaints within 24 hours, citing slow performance and access failures.
Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, rejected the accusations, stating that the platform actively combats misuse. He described the restrictions as an attempt to force users onto a government-backed alternative and argued similar efforts had previously failed in other countries.
The state-promoted replacement is Max, a messaging application developed by VKontakte, now state-owned. The Russian government requires Max to be pre-installed on all new smartphones and tablets sold domestically. The app offers messaging, payments, and voice and video calling features.
This is not the first confrontation between Russian authorities and Telegram. In 2018, the government attempted to block the service entirely. More recently, partial restrictions were imposed on Telegram and WhatsApp voice calls over allegations of fraud and extremist use.
Despite the crackdown, Telegram remains widely used across Russia, including by military personnel, public officials, and state institutions. Analysts suggest that while the government continues expanding digital controls, technical limitations and domestic resistance may prevent full enforcement, with many users likely turning to virtual private networks and other workarounds.
