Paris: Ukrainian Deputy Head of the President's Office Iryna Vereshchuk proposed restricting the use of Telegram and other 'anonymous platforms' in Ukraine to protect citizens and national security. Vereshchuk cited the recent Sunday explosion in the western city of Lviv, which she described as a 'terrorist attack,' as a key reason to question the use of Telegram and similar platforms.

According to Anadolu Agency, Vereshchuk expressed concerns over the use of Telegram in facilitating terrorism. She noted, "Once again, we see that the enemy systematically uses Telegram to recruit terrorists, coordinate their activities, and carry out terrorist attacks," in a Facebook post on Sunday. She urged for a reevaluation of the role of Telegram and other anonymous platforms in Ukraine's information space, especially during wartime.

In a related context, Telegram has been under increasing scrutiny from Russian authorities concerning data localization and anti-terrorism regulations. Russian authorities started slowing down Telegram's operations in December. In early February, they briefly restricted access to the app, but lifted these restrictions after receiving numerous complaints from the military.

On Saturday, Russia's Federal Security Service accused Telegram of providing information to Ukraine's military and intelligence, adding another layer of complexity to the app's operational challenges in the region.