Ukraine on Friday imposed restrictions on the use of Telegram for government, military, and security officials, citing concerns over national security .
The National Security and Defence Council announced the decision on Facebook, stating that Russia may have access to personal data and messages on the app, which is widely used for communication in both Ukraine and Russia.
Employees who rely on Telegram for their duties will not be affected by this rule, as the app remains a crucial communication channel for the army and public authorities.
Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov expressed concerns that Moscow could access messages on Telegram, including "deleted messages as well as their (users') personal data." He highlighted that this is "not a matter of freedom of speech, it is a matter of national security."
Security officials also warned that Moscow uses Telegram for various malicious activities, such as "counterattacks, spreading phishing and malware, establishing user geolocation, adjusting missile strikes etc."
A high-ranking security official told AFP that "this only applies to official communications" and that "citizens can continue to use it." The official added that Telegram is easily hacked by the Russian side, making it a significant source of information leaks.
This comes after Telegram's founder and boss, Pavel Durov , was arrested in France last month and charged with publishing illegal content on the application. Durov is currently banned from leaving France.
The arrest was made in connection to claims that Telegram has not done enough to stop criminal activities on its platform. Officials accused Durov of failing to provide effective moderation, allowing illegal activities such as drug trafficking and child sexual content to continue.
The National Security and Defence Council announced the decision on Facebook, stating that Russia may have access to personal data and messages on the app, which is widely used for communication in both Ukraine and Russia.
Employees who rely on Telegram for their duties will not be affected by this rule, as the app remains a crucial communication channel for the army and public authorities.
Intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov expressed concerns that Moscow could access messages on Telegram, including "deleted messages as well as their (users') personal data." He highlighted that this is "not a matter of freedom of speech, it is a matter of national security."
Security officials also warned that Moscow uses Telegram for various malicious activities, such as "counterattacks, spreading phishing and malware, establishing user geolocation, adjusting missile strikes etc."
A high-ranking security official told AFP that "this only applies to official communications" and that "citizens can continue to use it." The official added that Telegram is easily hacked by the Russian side, making it a significant source of information leaks.
This comes after Telegram's founder and boss, Pavel Durov , was arrested in France last month and charged with publishing illegal content on the application. Durov is currently banned from leaving France.
The arrest was made in connection to claims that Telegram has not done enough to stop criminal activities on its platform. Officials accused Durov of failing to provide effective moderation, allowing illegal activities such as drug trafficking and child sexual content to continue.
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