Russia throttles Telegram and threatens a total ban following WhatsApp and YouTube bans

The Kremlin has launched a massive campaign to dismantle the final pillars of independent digital communication in Russia. Following the total shutdown of WhatsApp and YouTube on February 11, 2026, Russian state censor Roskomnadzor has shifted its focus to Telegram, the country's most popular messaging app.

While not yet fully blocked, Telegram is currently being "throttled", a technical tactic that intentionally degrades the app's performance, making media files nearly impossible to load and voice calls frequently fail.

The "digital iron curtain" of 2026

The offensive against Telegram represents a dramatic escalation in Russia's quest for "digital sovereignty."

Earlier this month, WhatsApp was removed from Russia’s national DNS register, effectively severing it from the domestic internet. Authorities cited Meta’s "refusal to comply with data localization laws" and its alleged role in "facilitating extremism."

On February 10, Roskomnadzor confirmed it began slowing Telegram’s traffic. Users across Russia report that the app has become "unreliable" for business and personal use, which experts believe is a deliberate attempt to frustrate the 90 million Russian users into abandoning the platform.

April 1 deadline

Internal reports suggest a nationwide total ban on Telegram is scheduled for April 1, 2026, unless the company agrees to host all Russian user data on domestic servers accessible to the FSB.

National security or surveillance?

The official justification for the crackdown has shifted toward direct accusations of espionage.

On February 21, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) accused Telegram of being compromised. The agency claimed that Ukrainian intelligence has "covert access" to Telegram communications, leading to life-threatening situations for Russian soldiers using the app on the front lines.

The "Max" alternative

The government is aggressively promoting Max, a state-developed "super-app" built by VK. Max is now mandatory on all new devices sold in Russia. Unlike the encrypted platforms it replaces, Max is designed to integrate with Russia's domestic surveillance systems, allowing real-time monitoring of all user data.

The internal backlash

Surprisingly, the loudest opposition to the Telegram slowdown is coming from within the Russian military and the pro-war "Z-blogger" community.

For years, Russian soldiers have relied on Telegram for real-time battlefield coordination and logistics. Military bloggers have warned that throttling the app creates a "communication vacuum" that could prove fatal in active combat zones.

The Kremlin's double standard

While the state media regulator attacks the app, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov admitted that the Russian leadership still uses Telegram to distribute news, creating a bizarre scenario where the government is actively sabotaging its own primary propaganda channel.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has remained defiant, characterizing the restrictions as an attempt to "corral citizens into a state-owned surveillance trap." He noted that Telegram has always stood for privacy and that any move toward "total information control" is a backwards step for the country.