Ukraine has imposed a ban on the use of the Telegram messaging app on official devices for government officials, military personnel, and essential workers, citing concerns that Russia could potentially spy on communications.
This decision was announced by the National Security and Defence Council following a presentation by Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency, who provided evidence of Russian intelligence capabilities to monitor the platform.
Andriy Kovalenko, who heads the security council’s counter-disinformation center, clarified on Telegram that the ban specifically applies to official devices and does not extend to personal phones.
Telegram is widely utilized in both Ukraine and Russia and has become a key source of information since the onset of the Russian invasion in February 2022. However, Ukrainian security officials have consistently raised alarms about the app’s use in the context of the ongoing conflict.
Founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, who relocated to Dubai after resisting Russian government pressure in 2014, Telegram has faced scrutiny. Durov was recently arrested in France as part of an investigation involving allegations related to child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraud on the platform.
The Security Council’s statement indicated that Budanov presented evidence showing that Russian special services could access not only active messages on Telegram but also deleted ones and users’ personal information. “I have always supported and continue to support freedom of speech, but the Telegram issue transcends that; it is a question of national security,” Budanov stated.
In response to the restrictions, Telegram released a statement asserting that it has never shared user data or the contents of messages with third parties.
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“Telegram has never provided any messaging data to any country, including Russia. Deleted messages are deleted forever and are technically impossible to recover,” Telegram said.
It said every instance of what it described as “leaked messages” had been proven to be “the result of a compromised device, whether through confiscation or malware”.
The Telemetrio database reports that approximately 33,000 Telegram channels are currently active in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, along with military leaders and regional officials, frequently use the platform to share updates about the war and communicate important decisions. Ukrainian media estimates indicate that around 75% of the population uses Telegram for messaging, with 72% considering it a vital source of information as of late last year. This widespread usage highlights the app’s significant role in communication and information dissemination amid the ongoing conflict, despite the government’s concerns about its security vulnerabilities.
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