Ukraine to Ban Telegram Within Military, Government Over Security Fears

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Ukraine is banning its military and government agencies from using the Telegram messaging app, claiming it’s uncovered evidence that Russian agents can spy on users’ private chats.

According to the announcement, Ukraine’s National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity restricted Telegram use on Thursday after Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov supplied “substantiated evidence that Russian special services have access to personal correspondence of Telegram users, even deleted messages, as well as their personal data. “

The claim is alarming since Telegram has long committed to protecting user privacy, although the app lacks end-to-end encryption by default. Details about the alleged spying weren’t divulged, making it unclear if it involves malware, a vulnerability in the app, or Russian spies posing as trusted contacts. But dissidents in Russia have also reported the Kremlin somehow accessing their Telegram accounts remotely.

In the meantime, Ukrainian officials say the ban is necessary, given the country’s ongoing war with Russia. “​​I have always stood for freedom of speech, but the issue of Telegram is not a matter of freedom of speech, it is a matter of national security,” Budanov said on Thursday.

Telegram also represents a security threat since Russian hackers are often using the messaging app to launch phishing attacks and spread malware, according to other government officials at the meeting. The cyber threats can pave the way for the Kremlin to uncover the geolocation of government workers or soldiers, making them a potential target for a missile strike.

As a result, Ukraine has decided to ban Telegram on “official devices” belonging to government and military personnel. The ban also applies to employees in the security, defense, and critical infrastructure sectors.

“The only exceptions will be those for whom the use of this messenger is part of their official duties,” the announcement added. So users can expect the Ukrainian government to still communicate on the app to reach the public.

Telegram didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. But it’s another blow to the app’s reputation. Last month, investigators in France arrested Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on criminal charges that he refused to cooperate with law enforcement while being complicit in allowing crimes such as child pornography and drug trafficking to run rampant over his messaging app.

Durov has since been released on bail, although he can’t leave France. In a statement earlier this month, he insisted that Telegram would never surrender to a government’s demands, including Russia. (That said, Russia lifted its ban on Telegram in 2020 after the app agreed to cooperate with the Kremlin on countering extremism and terrorism.)

“The claims in some media that Telegram is some sort of anarchic paradise are absolutely untrue,” Durov added. “We take down millions of harmful posts and channels every day.” He’s also vowed to step up enforcement against criminal activities on Telegram.