Moscow: Russia claimed Friday that the Telegram messaging app was used to collect data on military personnel, law enforcement officers, and government officials for subsequent acts of sabotage, terrorism, and other illegal activities.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Interior Ministry’s cybercrime division stated that Telegram services, primarily bots, enable users to access personal data that can be used to illegally create a ‘digital profile.’ This information can include full names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, and details about relatives, as mentioned in a statement on Telegram.
The ministry reported that in just one month, the use of these services contributed to the commission of more than 13,000 crimes, resulting in damages exceeding 15 billion rubles ($195.5 million). Despite measures taken, the cybercrime department indicated that channels and bots distributing illegally obtained data continue to operate on messaging apps.
The statement highlighted that appeals from Interior Ministry units to foreign platforms have gone unanswered, failing to meet the actions required under Russian law. In response, the federal communications and media regulator Roskomnadzor has demanded that Telegram prevent the disclosure of Russian citizens’ personal data and cease providing its services with infrastructure for accessing stolen information.
Telegram has reportedly removed 8,358 of such services since 2022 based on requests by Roskomnadzor and continues to remove up to 100 services weekly in 2026, as reported by RBC citing the regulator. However, Roskomnadzor explained that the situation remains fundamentally unchanged with new bots emerging to search for personal data.
On Wednesday, Roskomnadzor decided to slow down Telegram under federal law. Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Minister Maksut Shadayev informed a State Duma IT Committee meeting that Telegram ignored 150,000 requests to remove restricted materials, including child pornography and content related to drug trafficking.
Andrey Klishas, head of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, told Sputnik Radio that Telegram could face a complete block in Russia if it fails to comply with legislative requirements. This warning comes amid intensified restrictions on foreign communication tools by authorities, who recently restricted WhatsApp after its parent company, Meta, allegedly refused to comply with Russian legal requirements.
Following the WhatsApp restriction, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged citizens to switch to ‘Max,’ a state-developed national messenger that has been mandatory on new devices since 2025. Telegram remains widely used in Russia, including by the military, but faces mounting pressure from Roskomnadzor due to data localization and anti-terrorism regulations. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has previously suggested that the restrictions are an attempt to push users toward state-monitored platforms, echoing similar concerns raised by Meta about political censorship.