Ukraine imposes Telegram ban on officials amid national security concerns

Ukraine has prohibited government and military officials from using the Telegram messaging app on state-issued devices, citing fears of Russian surveillance.

The ban, announced by Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council on Friday, was described as a “matter of national security” and follows evidence presented by Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency. According to Budanov, Russian special services have the capability to intercept and access messages, including deleted ones, exchanged on the platform.

The decision underscores the escalating digital threats Ukraine faces in its ongoing conflict with Russia. Telegram, founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov and based in Dubai, is widely used by millions in both Ukraine and Russia. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, it has become a key platform for disseminating information, including critical updates from Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and top military officials. However, officials using Telegram as part of their professional duties will be exempt from the ban.

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Budanov was unequivocal about the gravity of the situation: “I have always supported and continue to support freedom of speech, but the issue of Telegram is not a matter of freedom of speech, it is a matter of national security.”

Telegram swiftly responded to the ban, stating that it has never provided any user data to any country, including Russia. The platform emphasized that deleted messages are “technically impossible to recover” and any security breaches have been due to compromised devices, not Telegram’s system.

Despite the app’s popularity—with an estimated 75% of Ukrainians using it as a primary source of communication—Ukraine’s leadership is clearly taking no chances with the security risks posed by a platform potentially vulnerable to Russian espionage.