Authorities in two Russian regions have blocked the popular messaging app Telegram, citing concerns that hostile entities could exploit it, state news agency TASS reported on Saturday.
The restrictions were imposed in Dagestan and Chechnya, predominantly Muslim regions in southern Russia, where security agencies have reported a rise in militant Islamist activity.
Dagestan’s Minister of Digital Development, Yuri Gamzatov, said the decision was made at the federal level. “Telegram is often used by enemies, as seen during the riots at Makhachkala airport,” he stated.
Gamzatov referred to an anti-Israel riot in October 2023, when hundreds of protesters stormed Makhachkala airport in Dagestan, attempting to attack passengers arriving from Israel. Although no passengers were harmed, several individuals were later prosecuted. Authorities said the unrest was fueled by messages circulating in local Telegram channels, which had called for antisemitic violence. Telegram condemned the attack and subsequently blocked the channels.
The company, which is headquartered in Dubai and was founded by Russian-born entrepreneur Pavel Durov, has not yet commented on the latest blockages. Telegram, with nearly 1 billion users, remains widely used across Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states.
Moscow previously attempted to ban Telegram in 2018 but was unsuccessful. The Russian government has also demanded access to user data, a request Telegram has resisted. Meanwhile, Durov is currently under formal investigation in France as part of an inquiry into organized crime activities on the platform.
Gamzatov suggested that Telegram could be unblocked in the future but advised users to switch to alternative messaging apps in the meantime.
