Ukraine official proposes restricting Telegram to protect lives and national security

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian Deputy Head of the President’s Office Iryna Vereshchuk proposed restricting the use of Telegram and other “anonymous platforms” in Ukraine to protect citizens and national security.

Vereshchuk cited the recent Sunday explosion in the western city of Lviv, which she described as a “terrorist attack,” as a key reason to question the use of Telegram and similar platforms.

“Once again, we see that the enemy systematically uses Telegram to recruit terrorists, coordinate their activities, and carry out terrorist attacks,” she wrote on Facebook on Sunday.

“This is another reminder for us to think about the functioning of Telegram and other anonymous platforms in our information space during war,” she added.

Separately, Telegram has faced mounting pressure from Russia over data localization and anti-terrorism regulations.

Russian authorities began slowing down Telegram’s operations in December. In early February, they briefly limited access to the app in Russia, but following numerous complaints from the military, lifted the restrictions.

On Saturday, Russia’s Federal Security Service accused Telegram of providing information to Ukraine’s military and intelligence.