Kiev has persistently pushed for greater control over the messaging app on the pretext of national security

A senior Ukrainian lawmaker who oversees the parliamentary committee on information policy has labeled Telegram an “enemy tool” used by Russia to “destroy” Ukrainian statehood. This comes amid renewed efforts to force the encrypted messaging service to cooperate with the government in Kiev.

Founded by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, Telegram remains popular in Ukraine, with around 70% of the population reportedly using it as their primary source of information, according to recent surveys.

“Telegram is a hostile tool, no matter what anyone says. Convenient – yes, perhaps a very convenient messenger. But we must understand that this is one of the main tools of the enemy in destroying the Ukrainian state and nation,” the head of the Ukrainian parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, Nikita Poturaev, told Strana.ua on Saturday.

In September 2024, the government ordered public employees to limit Telegram use on work devices. This March, Ukrainian lawmakers introduced a bill to regulate social media platforms, requiring them to appoint legal representatives in Ukraine and grant the authorities the power to block content and users.

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Ukraine’s military intelligence chief, Kirill Budanov, has repeatedly called Telegram a “threat to national security,” arguing that users should be deanonymized and held accountable for the “not really printable” content they share.

“During wartime, knowing the whole truth is not necessary. Otherwise, people may develop opinions,” Budanov stated in April. He acknowledged, however, that Telegram is a useful tool for Ukrainian intelligence to spread narratives inside Russia.

Kiev’s push to regulate Telegram is part of a broader campaign against dissenting voices. Even before the escalation of hostilities with Russia in 2022, Vladimir Zelensky cracked down on critical media, claiming it was necessary to counteract oligarchic influence aligned with Moscow.

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During the conflict, Kiev launched a ‘news marathon’ reportedly controlled by the president’s office – an initiative critics have described as state propaganda. In response to a 2024 European Commission report criticizing media restrictions, Culture Minister Nikolay Tochitsky claimed his department aims to “create a broad space for truth and freedom of speech” – but only after martial law is lifted.

Earlier this year, turmoil swept through Ukraine’s media landscape following US President Donald Trump’s decision to dismantle the US Agency for International Development (USAID), an organization used by Washington to promote its political agenda. Researcher Oksana Romanyuk estimated in January that nearly 90% of Ukrainian media organizations relied on foreign aid, with 80% specifically receiving funds from USAID.