Russia’s state regulator has imposed restrictions on Telegram, an important platform for public and private communications in the country, due to what it says is the company’s failure to remove extremist content.
Digital Development Minister Maksud Shadayev said yesterday that foreign intelligence services were able to see Telegram messages sent by Russian units fighting in Ukraine. Russian soldiers, war correspondents and politicians have said soldiers use the app widely, not only to communicate with their families back home, but sometimes for operational purposes as well.
“No evidence of a breach of Telegram’s encryption was ever found,” the company told Reuters. “The Russian government’s claim that our encryption has been compromised is a deliberate fabrication to justify banning Telegram and forcing citizens to switch to a state-controlled messaging platform designed for mass surveillance and censorship,” they added.
Russia has also blocked or restricted other foreign messaging platforms, such as Meta’s WhatsApp and Apple’s FaceTime. Authorities have urged citizens to switch to a new state-run app called MAX, rejecting accusations that it is designed as a surveillance tool.
(Vijesti.ba)
