Russia is witnessing widespread disruptions to Telegram as authorities intensify efforts to restrict access and push users toward a state-backed alternative. According to Sboy.RF, a service tracking outages, complaints about Telegram access surged to over 7,800 on March 16.
Russian outlet Kommersant reported that a long-anticipated shutdown may now be underway.
Telegram, founded by Pavel Durov, has over a billion users and is widely used in regions with limited media freedom. Its reputation for resisting censorship has made it a key information channel during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Widespread mobile Internet outages have been hitting Moscow for over a week. The Kremlin has officially attributed these disruptions to increased security measures, but has given few details.https://t.co/gdUbhDOGaw
— Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (@RFERL) March 17, 2026
The report said Russia’s communications regulator had already announced plans in February to block the platform. Durov alleged authorities were fabricating charges to justify restrictions and suppress free speech.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin-backed app Max is also facing technical issues, raising questions about the reliability of the state’s alternative platform.
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TIPP Staff
