Russia imposes new restrictions on Telegram users
Russian authorities have introduced new restrictions on the Telegram messaging app, the country’s most popular platform with an estimated 100 million users, Moscow 24 reported on January 16.
Users across Russia have reported widespread slowdowns, which officials say are due to measures imposed by Roskomnadzor, the federal agency overseeing media and telecommunications, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The restrictions are part of a broader effort by the Kremlin to control telecommunications and online media since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. In recent years, access to platforms like Signal, Viber, WhatsApp, and YouTube has been partially or fully limited, and mobile internet service has occasionally been cut in certain regions, citing security concerns.
Despite these measures, Russian officials have downplayed the possibility of a full Telegram ban. Andrey Svintsov, deputy head of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, told state media that Telegram “interacts quite effectively with governments, including Russia,” and users should not be concerned about its future.
The Kremlin has also promoted a state-backed messenger, Max, as a national alternative and continues developing a “sovereign internet” to further isolate Russia from global digital networks.
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