Ukraine banned the Telegram messenger app on government-issued devices used by military personnel, defense officials, and critical infrastructure employees.
Key Takeaways
- Ukraine bans the use of telegram on an official level over Russian security attacks.
- According to a USAID survey, in 2023, 72% of Ukrainians use the telegram.
- Only official devices will be restricted, not personal phones.
- Bundauv said it’s a matter of security.
The National Security and Defence Council made it clear that Telegram will be restricted on official devices after believing potential Russian security threats. The head of the GUR military intelligence agency of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, reported the Russian threat actor’s ability to access the platform.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the security council’s center, wipes out all the misconceptions regarding the banning of Telegram on personal devices. he posted on Telegram that,
“The limitations only affect official devices, not personal devices.”
The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine stated during a meeting on Thursday that,
“Russia actively uses Telegram for cyberattacks, phishing, malware distribution, user position tracking, and missile strike calibration.”
Both the countries, Ukraine and Russia, have been using Telegram not only as a means of communication but also to read circulating news and updates on Russian air strikes after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
According to the USAID Internews survey 2023, 72% of Ukrainians used the Telegram, making it the top-using platform. Telegram has been the talk of the town since its beginning, as it offers end-to-end encryption.
Earlier, his co-founder, Russian-born Pavel Durov, and a French national got into an investigation in France as part of a probe into organized crime. His case raises questions regarding responsibility, free speech, and social media content management. Durov claimed in July that Telegram has 950 million active monthly users.
However, we have seen Ukraine’s defense officials raising voices and concerns about its use during war. You’ll be surprised to know that Ukrainian elite officials, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, convey his message to the public over telegram and also relay war developments.
Realizing that Russian threats are suspected of breaching the personal data of citizens and government officials, they decided to restrict access to state-issued devices, protecting the country’s official secrets.
According to the statement, Kyrylo Budanov also disclosed that Russian intelligence services have access to users’ private messages—including ones that have been deleted—as well as their personal information.
He further calls this matter a concern for citizens’s security with the statement:
“I have always supported free speech, and I will continue to support it, but the Telegram issue is not one of free speech; it is one of national security.”
Cybersecurity hazards are frightening, but you can defend yourself with current upgrades. Google recently introduced a pin feature for Chrome users that allows them to sync passkeys across devices for further security. A layer of security will be added with this pin to ensure your passkeys are encrypted and no one views them, including Google.
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