Ukraine blocks Telegram messenger app on state devices due to Russian security threat

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has banned government officials, military personnel and other defense and critical infrastructure workers from installing the popular messaging app Telegram on state-owned devices, a move it said was necessary for national security amid the country’s war with Russia.

The Ukrainian National Cybersecurity Coordination Center said it had issued a ban on official devices of government employees, military personnel, security and defense service personnel, and critical infrastructure workers. The ban was announced Friday by the Security and Defense Council of Ukraine in a statement on Facebook.

During a meeting on Thursday, the Security Service of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that Telegram is actively used by Russia for cyberattacks, phishing, spreading malware, determining the location of users and calibrating missile attacks.

An exception to the ban will be allowed for people who use the app as part of their official duties. Ukrainians can freely use the app on their personal devices.

The app is widely used in Ukraine not only for texting but also for reading news, including updates on Russian airstrikes. It is also the main way Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, engage with the public and provide information on war developments. Zelensky will likely continue to use Telegram for his public communications, as it is his official duty.

Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said that Russian intelligence services have access to the private messages of app users, including deleted messages, as well as their personal data, the statement reads.

“I have always stood for and continue to stand for freedom of speech, but the Telegram issue is not a question of freedom of speech; it is a question of national security,” Budanov said, according to the statement.