The rumor triggered the biggest wave of public criticism from Kremlin supporters since the start of the war in Ukraine.
As Russian authorities look for deny news about an alleged complete blocking of Telegram from April 1stbut the topic intensified fears of greater digital isolation and a tightening of internet censorship.
Since 2022, Moscow has expanded blocks and restrictions on Western platforms, culminating in the complete blocking of WhatsApp this month. Telegram is central in Russia: according to Mediascope, it is used by more than 90 million people per month.
The Baza channel, close to the security forces, said that the closure would apply throughout Russiapreventing the download and operation of the application on both mobile and fixed networks.
The rumor triggered a rare wave of public criticism from Kremlin supporters, the strongest since the start of the war in Ukraine.
The Duma, aligned with the Kremlin, classified the warnings as “disparate” and premature information, without directly ruling out the possibility of new restrictions, highlights the .
In practice, many users report slowdowns service since last summer.
Last week, regulator Roskomnadzor announced more limitations. He justified them with violations of federal law, dissemination of illegal content and alleged use of the platform by Western secret services.
Authorities warned that the restrictions could remain in place if Telegram did not install servers in the country and did not comply with Russian legislation.
Although parliamentary officials say there are contacts with the regulator, observers consider a deal difficult, and a source close to Pavel Durov points to the inevitability of a total blockade.
The text frames the dispute as essentially policy: Any concessions from Durov to the Kremlin would have reputational costs, given the founder’s history of criticizing state pressure and arguing that the absence of competition weakens communications security.
Durov accuses the authorities of trying to force migration to a “state-controlled” applicationpromoted as part of “digital sovereignty”: the platform Max, also designed for access to government services and whose privacy policies allow sharing of data with authorities and collection of navigation information.
An investigation attributes control of the project to interests linked to the presidential family.
The possible loss of Telegram causes particular alarm in pro-war and military circleswho rely on the app for coordination and communication at the front, made worse by the fact that since the beginning of February, the Russian army has lost access to Starlink terminals.
Media figures such as Vladimir Solovyov complain about the drop in reach and the lack of a functional alternative; even Yekaterina Mizulina criticizes the blockade, fearing the loss of an instrument to promote pro-Russian narratives.
