Telegram Faces Complete Shutdown Risk across Russia
Andrey Klishas, chair of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, acknowledged his personal reliance on the platform while speaking to Sputnik Radio: "Telegram is a very high-quality platform, and I use it actively myself."
However, the lawmaker stressed universal compliance expectations for digital services functioning within Russian borders, declaring Telegram "is no exception."
Klishas clarified final determinations lie exclusively with the state telecommunications watchdog, advising observers to "wait for the decision of Roskomnadzor," the federal agency governing media and communications oversight.
The warning escalates amid Moscow's intensifying campaign against foreign messaging platforms. Authorities recently restricted WhatsApp access following allegations its parent corporation, Meta, declined to honor the "norm and letter of Russian law."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov responded to the WhatsApp restriction by encouraging citizens to adopt "Max," a domestically-engineered national messenger mandated on new devices since 2025.
Despite Telegram's critical operational role—including military communications—Roskomnadzor has escalated enforcement pressure demanding data localization compliance and counterterrorism protocol adherence.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov has previously characterized such restrictions as coercive measures designed to migrate users toward state-surveilled platforms, mirroring Meta's objections regarding political censorship concerns.
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