Russia Is Trying To Kill Telegram – The App's Creator Is Fighting Back

The instant messaging application Telegram has recently been targeted by the Russian government. Reports of widespread outages in the region came to light in March 2026, and the app was almost entirely restricted by April 10. In response, Telegram engineers and its CEO (and creator), Pavel Durov, have begun pushing back against Russia and its attempts to ban the app. Durov has even turned to Telegram users in the area, urging them to explore workarounds and keep the app up to date so that they can continue using it amidst this government crackdown.

First and foremost, Durov took to X to remind Telegram users to keep their app updated, as the team has enhanced the app's anti-censorship protocols. As reported by TechRadar, Durov has also recommended that Telegram users use VPNs — Virtual Private Networks — to get around Russia's censorship. 

The April 10 ban saw a 95% failure rate for those trying to access the app without one, so at least for now, having multiple VPNs on hand is key, especially as Russia is actively attempting to curtail VPN use as well. Why is this happening? Well, there's the Russian government's rationale as well as the theory Durov and others have brought to the forefront.

Like any app, Telegram has its share of pros and cons, though it appears that the Russian government feels that the negatives far outweigh the positives. Russian authorities have said that blocking the app was a necessary step for safety reasons, claiming that it has been used for criminal activities. The nation has even gone as far as restricting access to VPN technology, forcing users to keep trying different ones to keep Telegram accessible.

Meanwhile, Pavel Durov has voiced another theory for Russia's desire to remove Telegram from the country. Russia has been pushing the state-backed Max messenger in the wake of Telegram's ban, which many worry could be used for surveillance. If Telegram were out of the picture, more Russians could be inclined to use Max for their messaging needs. 

Sarkis Darbinyan, a member of the digital rights groups RKS Global and VPN Guild, told TechRadar as much, noting that the Russian government is reportedly willing to go to great lengths — including "through persuasion and deception, scare tactics, and outright falsehoods" — to get Telegram users onto Max in the coming months. Time will tell what Telegram's fate will be in Russia, and whether users will ultimately migrate to Max as using the service becomes increasingly laborious.