Can Telegram challenge the Putin regime?

Hello! As Russia prepares to initiate a full block on Telegram, the country’s most important messenger and social media platform, The Bell goes inside the blitz campaign that sealed its fate, and why skirting the restrictions is far from a given.

Telegram vs. the Kremlin: Round Two

Telegram’s fate in Russia has been determined. Internet watchdog Roskomnadzor will initiate a full block of the messenger on April 1. The Russian authorities have come a long way in just two weeks — from issuing run-of-the-mill statements about the need to combat fraud to initiating a criminal case on terrorist charges against founder Pavel Durov. After the dramatic escalation, there is no wiggle room for either the authorities or Telegram. When Russia first tried to block the platform in 2018, the messenger organized strong resistance and handed Roskomnadzor an embarrassing defeat. We shouldn’t expect history to repeat itself. Barring a miracle, Telegram will end up blocked in Russia — and very soon.