Ukraine has banned the Telegram messaging app for official devices used by government officials, military personnel, and critical workers. The government is worried that Russia could spy on messages and users. The National Security and Defence Council announced this decision after Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, showed evidence that Russian services could access Telegram.
Andriy Kovalenko, who leads the council’s countering disinformation center, said the ban only affects official devices, not personal phones. Telegram is widely used in both Ukraine and Russia and has been an important source of information since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. However, Ukrainian officials have expressed ongoing concerns about its safety.
Founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, who left Russia in 2014, Telegram has faced scrutiny over data privacy. Durov was recently arrested in France related to serious crimes linked to the platform.
According to Reuters, The Security Council’s statement included Budanov’s claims that Russian special services could access both current and deleted messages, as well as users’ personal data. Budanov stressed that while he supports freedom of speech, the issue with Telegram is about national security. In response to the ban, Telegram stated that it has never shared any user data or message content.
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