Ifax cites a minister who claims that foreign spies can view Telegram texts received by Russian servicemen

Foreign intelligence agencies may be able to access messages sent by Russian soldiers through Telegram, Russia’s digital development minister Maksud Shadayev said on Wednesday, according to a report by Interfax.

Telegram is among the most widely used messaging platforms in Russia and is heavily used by Russian troops involved in the Ukraine conflict. However, the service has faced increasing pressure from Russian authorities, who accuse it of failing to remove extremist content and of not fully complying with local regulations.

Shadayev said there are “numerous indications” that foreign intelligence services have gained access to message correspondence on the platform and are using such data against the Russian military.

Russia’s communications regulator Roskomnadzor has announced measures to slow down Telegram’s service as part of a broader enforcement drive targeting foreign-owned messaging platforms that authorities say are violating domestic laws.

The Kremlin confirmed last week that WhatsApp has been fully blocked in Russia for non-compliance with local requirements. WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms.

Russian officials have encouraged users to shift to a state-backed national messaging platform known as MAX, while critics have raised concerns that the app could function as a surveillance tool — a claim authorities deny.