Ukraine bans Telegram’s use on government devices over fears of Russian spying
- 22 September, 07:40
Ukraine has banned the use of Telegram messaging app on government devices issued to military personnel and officials.
Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council (Rnbo) said the move was an attempt to "minimise" threats posed by Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "Telegram is actively used by the enemy for cyber-attacks, the distribution of phishing and malicious software, user geolocation and missile strike correction," the agency said on Friday.
Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said he had evidence that Russian special services had the ability to access personal correspondence of Telegram users.
"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," Budanov was quoted as saying. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly voiced concerns over the use of the Telegram app. Heavily used both in Russia and Ukraine, Telegram has been an important source of information since Russia’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine over two years ago.
Telegram was founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, who left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with demands to shut down opposition communities on his social media platform VKontakte, which he has sold.
