It’s Telegram’s turn: Russia starts limiting access to the platform
First, there was X, Facebook, and Instagram. As of Tuesday, Russia began partially restricting Telegram. What started as a move against American social media has now spread to Pavel Durov’s company and goes beyond what meets the eye.
Telegram app can be seen on the display of a smartphone. M. Balk/picture alliance via Getty
First, there was X, Facebook, and Instagram. As of Tuesday, Russia began partially restricting Telegram. What started as a move against American social media has now spread to Pavel Durov’s company and goes beyond what meets the eye.
Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media, Roskomnadzor, is to slow down access to Telegram and thus begin at least a partial restriction of the social media platform.
The first to report the news was RBC, a privately owned Russian media outlet. It’s basing its report on information from two sources in the IT industry and “relevant agencies.” According to RBC, measures to slow down the service are already being taken.
Roskomnadzor issued a statement claiming it will continue to impose consistent restrictions on Telegram to ensure "compliance with Russian law and ensure the protection of citizens."
"Russian legislation remains unenforced, personal data remains unprotected, and there are no effective measures to combat fraud and the use of the messenger for criminal and terrorist purposes. Therefore, by decision of the authorized bodies, Roskomnadzor will continue to impose consistent restrictions to ensure compliance with Russian legislation and ensure the protection of citizens," Roskomnadzor said.
As per a Reuters report, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman, told state news agency TASS that he had been made aware that Telegram was "not meeting the requirements of Russian legislation."
"It is a great shame that the company is not carrying out laws that need to be observed," Peskov said.
However, this is not the first time Russia has restricted access to social media. In August 2025, Roskomnadzor restricted calls on Telegram and WhatsApp.
At the time, the agency released a statement informing people residing in Russia that they would no longer be able to make voice or video calls using the messaging platforms.
“Calls on these foreign messaging platforms are partially restricted to counter criminal activity,” Roskomnadzor told TASS, Russia's main state-run news agency.
“Nearly all such fraudulent calls have shifted to foreign messengers, which refuse to ensure the safety of Russian users and society,” the watchdog said back in August.
After threatening WhatsApp for failing to share information with the Russian government in cases “involving fraud and terrorism,” the app was shut down completely.
The country’s government has also banned US-owned social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X. With the war in Ukraine beginning in 2022, Russia has also limited access to YouTube.
No Instagram, Facebook, and X, what else is left?
With Telegram beginning to walk a similar path to WhatsApp's before its complete shutdown, Russia has prepared a plan B for the country’s social media users.
The government has been promoting MAX, a state-run “super-app” modeled after other applications that grant the government access to their data, such as WeChat in China.
Under new rules introduced in Russia in August 2025, MAX is a mandatory app that has to be preinstalled on all phones sold in the country. Neither Android nor Apple devices are exempt from this.
Pavel Durov, the Russian-born billionaire who founded Telegram, has expressed his disappointment on X, describing the country’s move as “authoritarian” and saying it will not change the platform's course.
“Telegram stands for freedom and privacy, no matter the pressure,” Durov posted.
Russia is restricting access to Telegram to force its citizens onto a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship. This authoritarian move won’t change our course. Telegram stands for freedom and privacy, no matter the pressure.
undefined Pavel Durov (@durov) February 10, 2026
MAX is part of a bundle of tech that has to be included on gadgets sold in Russia. For instance, since September 2025, Russia’s domestic app store, RuStore, has been among those required to be preinstalled on devices sold in the Russian market.
Since the 1st of January, 2026, a Russian-language TV app called LIME HD TV must be installed on all smart TVs sold in Russia. LIME HD TV allows people to watch state TV channels for free.
Unlock more exclusive Cybernews content on YouTube.