Ukraine bans Telegram app for some as fears of Russian spying grow

Sep 23, 2024

Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer)

Ukraine announced on Friday, Sept. 20, that it is banning the use of the Telegram messaging app for government officials and members of the military over fears Russia is using it to spy on Ukrainians. Ukraine’s security council said it has found evidence Russian special services accessed Telegram messages, including deleted ones, as well as personal information.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

The head of Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov said the move is not a matter of supporting free speech but of protecting national security. Right now, the ban does not apply to personal devices.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

It’s estimated that more than 70% of Ukrainians get their news from the app, including alerts for incoming missile attacks and evacuations, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy regularly uses the app to broadcast announcements.

There are an estimated 33,000 Telegram channels in Ukraine alone, and it’s also been called “the last window into Russia,” as it’s one of the few platforms to circumvent a Russian crackdown with sources such as The New York Times and independent Russian outlets available on the app.

However, it’s also become a safe haven for terrorists and criminals, some of whom orchestrated terrorist attacks in Paris and Berlin. The lack of oversight also has Ukrainian officials worried.

The platform is reportedly teeming with pro-Russian propaganda, sparking concerns it could destabilize Ukrainian society as Russia is reportedly working on software to reveal the identities of anonymous users and access private chats

The platform was founded by Russian native Pavel Durov, who left the country in 2014 after refusing the Kremlin’s demands to shut down opposition communities on the app.

Durov was arrested in France in August on charges related to child pornography, drug trafficking and fraud transactions on the Telegram app, but was later released on bail. He was instructed not to leave the country.

Tags: Big Tech, Kyiv, Moscow, Russia, Russian Defense Ministry, Social Media, Tech, Technology, Telegram, Ukraine, Ukraine aid, Ukraine Defense Ministry, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

UKRAINE IS BANNING THE USE OF THE TELEGRAM MESSAGING APP FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY BECAUSE UKRAINE THINKS RUSSIA COULD BE USING THE APP TO SPY ON ITS ENEMIES.

UKRAINE’S SECURITY COUNCIL SAYS IT FOUND EVIDENCE RUSSIAN SPECIAL SERVICES ACCESSED TELEGRAM MESSAGES, INCLUDING DELETED ONES, AS WELL AS PERSONAL INFORMATION. THE SECURITY COUNCIL SAYS BANNING THE APP FOR ON GOVERNMENT OWNED DEVICES IS NOT A FREE-SPEECH BUT OF PROTECTING NATIONAL SECURITY.

RIGHT NOW, THE BAN DOESN’T APPLY TO PERSONAL DEVICES.

IT’S ESTIMATED MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF UKRAINIANS GET THEIR NEWS FROM TELEGRAM. INCLUDING ALERTS FOR INCOMING MISSILE ATTACKS AND EVACUATIONS.PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY REGULARLY USES THE APP TO BROADCAST ANNOUNCEMENTS

THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 33-THOUSAND TELEGRAM CHANNELS ACTIVE IN UKRAINE ALONE.. AND IT’S ALSO BEEN CALLED “THE LAST WINDOW INTO RUSSIA” — AS IT’S ONE OF THE FEW PLATFORMS TO CIRCUMVENT A RUSSIAN CRACK DOWN– WITH SOURCES SUCH AS THE NEW YORK TIMES AND INDEPENDENT RUSSIAN OUTLETS AVAILABLE ON THE APP.

BUT IT’S ALSO BECOME A SAFE HAVEN FOR TERRORISTS AND CRIMINALS, SOME OF WHOM ORCHESTRATED TERRORIST ATTACKS IN PARIS AND BERLIN.

THE LACK OF OVERSIGHT IS ALSO CONCERNING TO UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS.

THE PLATFORM IS TEEMING WITH PRO-RUSSIAN PROPAGANDA– SPARKING CONCERNS IT COULD DESTABILIZE UKRAINIAN SOCIETY. RUSSIA IS REPORTEDLY WORKING ON SOFTWARE TO REVEAL THE IDENTITIES OF ANONYMOUS USERS AND ACCESS PRIVATE CHATS.

THE PLATFORM WAS FOUNDED BY RUSSIAN-NATIVE PAVEL DUROV, WHO LEFT THE COUNTRY IN 2014 AFTER REFUSING THE KREMLIN’S DEMAND TO SHUT DOWN OPPOSITION COMMUNITIES ON THE APP.

DUROV IS NOW IN CUSTODY IN FRANCE AFTER BEING ARRESTED IN AUGUST ON CHARGES RELATED TO CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, DRUG TRAFFICKING AND FRAUD TRANSACTIONS ON HIS APP.

WE’LL KEEP FOLLOWING THIS STORY CLOSELY AND YOU CAN TOO– JUST DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M RYAN ROBERTSON.