Officials in two Russian regions have restricted access to the Telegram messaging app due to concerns that adversaries could exploit it, according to a statement from a regional digital development minister cited by the TASS state news agency on Saturday.
The ban affects Dagestan and Chechnya, two southern Russian regions with predominantly Muslim populations, where intelligence agencies have observed a rise in militant Islamist activities.
Yuri Gamzatov, Dagestan’s digital development minister, stated that hostile elements frequently use Telegram, citing the October 2023 riots at Makhachkala airport as an example. He clarified that the decision to block the platform was made at the federal level.
The riot in question involved a mob storming the airport in an attempt to attack passengers from an incoming flight from Israel. Although no passengers were harmed, several individuals have faced prosecution over the incident. Reports indicate that information about the flight’s arrival spread through local Telegram channels, which also contained calls for antisemitic violence. Telegram condemned the unrest and took steps to block the problematic channels.
Telegram, which is headquartered in Dubai and founded by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, has nearly one billion users and remains popular in Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states. The company has not yet commented on the latest restrictions imposed in Russia.
Moscow previously attempted to ban Telegram in 2018 but was unsuccessful. The Russian government has also pressured the platform to share user data. Meanwhile, Durov is currently under investigation in France for alleged links to organized crime on the app.
Gamzatov mentioned that Telegram could potentially be restored in the future but advised users to consider alternative messaging platforms in the meantime.
Russian Authorities Block Telegram in Two Regions Over Security Concerns
