Key Points
- Ukraine bans Telegram on official devices due to concerns about Russian espionage.
- The ban applies to state officials, military personnel, and critical workers’ official devices, but not personal phones.
- Kyrylo Budanov presented evidence that Russian services can access Telegram messages and users’ data.
- Telegram is widely used in Ukraine and Russia, especially since the war began in 2022.
Due to concerns over Russian espionage capabilities, Ukraine has banned using the Telegram messaging app on official devices used by state officials, military personnel, and critical workers. The National Security and Defence Council (NSDC) announced on Friday after Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, presented evidence suggesting Russian special services could monitor Telegram users and messages.
The NSDC’s statement emphasized that the ban applies strictly to official devices, meaning state workers, including military personnel, cannot use Telegram for professional communication. However, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the council’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, clarified that personal devices are not subject to the same restrictions.
Telegram, a Dubai-based app created by Russian-born Pavel Durov, is widely used in Ukraine and Russia. It has been an essential tool for information exchange since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, with updates on the war regularly posted by government officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and various military leaders.
Despite its popularity, Ukrainian security officials have long expressed concerns about the app’s security risks. According to Budanov, Russia’s special services can access messages on Telegram, including deleted ones, and obtain users’ data. He stressed that the issue with Telegram goes beyond freedom of speech, framing it as a critical national security matter.
Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, who has distanced himself from Russia, initially gained prominence after leaving the country in 2014 for refusing to comply with the Russian government’s demands to shut down opposition groups on his earlier social media platform VKontakte. However, Durov has also faced legal troubles, as he was arrested in France in August in connection with an investigation into crimes related to child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraudulent transactions on Telegram.
According to Telemetrio, a platform tracking Telegram activity, approximately 33,000 Telegram channels are active in Ukraine. As of the end of last year, 75% of Ukrainians reportedly use the app for communication, and 72% see it as a key source of information. Despite the ban on official devices, it is clear that Telegram will continue to be widely used by the public for updates and communication during the ongoing conflict.
