Telegram messenger largely blocked in Russia, users report
Russia has begun blocking Telegram (Photo: REUTERS/Ramil Sitdikov/Illustration)
Telegram messenger has become almost completely inaccessible in Russia, with both the mobile app and web version failing to work for most users, especially on home internet providers, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on March 16, citing experts and user complaints tracked by Downdetector.
The surge in outage reports began over the weekend, with the highest number of complaints coming from the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and Moscow Oblast. Users say the messenger does not function “in any form.”
Author of tech outlet Kod Durova Vladislav Voytenko wrote that Telegram is effectively blocked when connecting through home providers, that mobile internet access is virtually impossible, and that bypassing the restrictions via VPN has become extremely difficult.
Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that a court fined Telegram 35 million rubles ($429,418) for failing to remove “prohibited” information.
According to an U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessment, Russian authorities are likely attempting to restrict Telegram use within military units, which could worsen existing communication problems in the Russian military.
Russia’s state media watchdog Roskomnadzor previously claimed that Telegram “does not comply with Russian legislation” and that its operation will be progressively restricted. In February, similar disruptions caused panic on pro-Kremlin channels, as Russian troops on the front lines lost the ability to communicate through the app.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov said the measures are an attempt by Russian authorities to force citizens onto the state-controlled MAX messenger, which he described as a surveillance and political censorship tool fully run by Russian security services.
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