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Rumors are, that Russia will impose a complete ban on Telegram on April 1.
Uncertainty is growing around the future of Telegram in Russia, as officials hint at possible restrictions while users report widespread disruptions, The Moscow Times reports.
The situation has raised concerns about access to one of the country’s most popular messaging platforms, with signs of both technical and regulatory pressure mounting.
Mounting pressure
Oleg Matveychev, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, said that Telegram could soon stop operating in Russia if it fails to meet legal requirements.
Speaking to Gazeta.Ru, he indicated there were no clear signs the company was relocating operations to Russia.
He likened the platform to an “illegal migrant” who is “subject to deportation,” suggesting authorities may take decisive action if compliance issues persist.
Earlier, sources cited by RBC reported that a full block of Telegram in Russia could be introduced as early as April 1.
Widespread disruptions
At the same time, users across Russia have reported significant service outages. According to the monitoring service Sboy.rf, more than 18,000 complaints were logged between March 14 and 15.
Many users say they are unable to send messages or upload media. The highest number of reports has come from Moscow, St. Petersburg, and surrounding regions.
Vladislav Voitenko, author of the publication “Durov’s Code,” told Kommersant FM that access has become extremely limited. “For the past 24 hours, Telegram has been virtually unavailable from home providers, if we’re talking about connections from Russian IP addresses. <…> You can forget about using Telegram over mobile internet,” he said.
Access declining
Experts suggest the disruption is not global but specific to Russia. Mikhail Klimarev, head of the Internet Protection Society, said, “Telegram availability [in Russia] has dropped to 80% between yesterday and today.”
He added that similar issues have not been observed in other countries, pointing to a localized problem rather than a worldwide outage.
Voitenko also noted that in regions where internet access is restricted through “whitelisting,” most VPN services are ineffective in restoring access to Telegram.
As both technical failures and regulatory threats converge, Telegram’s future in Russia appears increasingly uncertain.
Pushes state-run messenger app
In March 2025, the Kremlin launched the state-run messenger app Max as an alternative to popular communication services such as Telegram and WhatsApp.
In September 2025, it was mandated that all new electronic devices must have the app pre-installed.
Since the beginning of 2026, the Kremlin has tightened its grip on foreign messenger apps including an attempt at blocking WhatsApp from the Russian market.
Sources: Gazeta.Ru, Kommersant FM, RBC, Sboy.rf, The Moscow Times
