Russia prepares Telegram endgame

Russia’s authorities have shifted from slowing Telegram to shutting it down completely. At the same time they have launched a criminal case against founder Pavel Durov on allegations of aiding terrorism.

Two sources on the telecoms market told The Bell that Russia’s authorities are preparing to shut down Telegram — Russia’s most important messenger and social media site — completely from April 1. According to one, operators received a letter demanding they do not oppose the block, the exact same letter that was sent before YouTube was blocked. On Thursday, RBC also reported that the Kremlin had decided to block Telegram from April 1, describing the decision as “final”. 

Internet watchdog Roskomnadzor started officially restricting Telegram in Russia from Feb. 10. It was not entirely clear at the time whether this was its final move or just one step toward a full shutdown. One theory was that the Kremlin might invite Telegram founder Pavel Durov for talks on how to cooperate. But in the past two weeks the situation has followed a typical trajectory, moving rapidly from hints and attempted coercion to ultimatums and court cases.

• On Feb. 10, Roskomnadzor announced it was imposing “gradual restrictions” on Telegram and users faced problems downloading media files. On Feb. 15, Sergei Boyarsky, head of the Duma’s committee on information policy, spoke of further “contact” with Telegram and several remaining “steps” for possible regulation. Then three days later, Communications Minister Maksut Shadayev told a Duma meeting: “Nobody is making rash decisions.” Nevertheless, he went on to immediately articulate the security forces’ key concern: that foreign intelligence agencies have “systematic” access to Russians’ correspondence. Telegram has denied those allegations.
• Things continued to escalate quickly. On Feb. 21, the FSB announced that using Telegram on the frontline in Ukraine created “a threat to soldiers’ lives.” Then on Feb. 24, newspapers Rossiyskaya Gazeta and Komsomolskaya Pravda simultaneously reported that “based on FSB files” an investigation had been opened into Durov on charges of aiding terrorism — a crime which carries up to life in prison. Durov later appeared to confirm a case had been opened, calling Russia a “sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people.”

Now there can be no doubt that Telegram is to be blocked. The only question was whether the platform would also be branded extremist. The first is an inconvenience that can be got around with a VPN, the latter would make any engagement, especially financial, with Telegram a criminal offense. It is the same legal trap that has been used against Meta’s Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp services.

Why the world should care

In Russia, Telegram has never been an opposition messenger. Pro-war Z-channels, regional administrations, and press offices of the security services, foreign ministry and the Kremlin are all active there. For citizens it is a major news source. The block will impact Russia’s entire internet infrastructure.

French version edited by Marika Ruggiero, German version edited by Jan Möller