Ukrainian lawmaker dubs Telegram messaging app a "tool of the enemy"

By ramontomeydw // 2025-05-16

Mastodon

Parler

Gab

Copy

Lawmaker Nikita Poturaev, a member of Ukrainian President Zelensky's party, accused Telegram of being a key instrument in Russia's "special military operation." He claimed it undermines Ukraine's sovereignty despite its convenience.
The app's public channels enable both grassroots communication and state-backed disinformation – with 70 percent of Ukrainians relying on it for news – making it a double-edged sword.
Poturaev criticized Telegram for allegedly complying with Russian security requests while ignoring Ukrainian government appeals, raising concerns about its neutrality.
Ukrainian intelligence chief Kirill Budanov meanwhile acknowledged Telegram's risks, calling its unchecked anonymous channels a threat to national security, though he opposed outright censorship.
The Ukrainian government has tightened control over information since 2022, shutting opposition outlets. But it struggles to regulate Telegram due to the app's encryption and global reach, leaving Ukrainians dependent on it for uncensored war updates.

A Ukrainian lawmaker has denounced the encrypted messaging app Telegram, calling it a "tool" of Moscow in its ongoing special military operation against Kyiv. People's Deputy Nikita Poturaev made the remark during an interview with the Strana.ua digital newspaper on Saturday, May 10. The lawmaker from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People party pointed out that while Telegram is a "very convenient messenger," it remains "a hostile tool, no matter what anyone says." "This is one of the main tools of the enemy in destroying the Ukrainian state and nation," said Poturaev, who chairs the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy at the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament). Founded by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov in 2013, Telegram distinguishes itself from competitors like WhatsApp by allowing users to create public channels – some anonymous – that can broadcast to unlimited followers. This feature has made it a double-edged sword: a tool for both grassroots organizing and state-backed disinformation. Telegram is popular in Ukraine, with 70 percent of Ukrainians relying on it for news. This isn't the first time the lawmaker set his sights on Telegram. He lamented during an April 2024 interview with the Telegraf news outlet that the massaging app complies with requests lodged by the Russian Federal Security Service, but turns a blind eye to those sent by Kyiv.

Budanov: Telegram a "national security" problem

The conflict over Telegram is not new, but it has intensified as Ukraine's government tightens control over information. Kirill Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Main Directorate of Intelligence, acknowledged that the messaging app is both a threat and an opportunity back in March 2024. "From the viewpoint of national security, Telegram is definitely a problem. Anyone can create a channel, start writing whatever he wants, and – when someone tries to do something about it – hides behind freedom of the press," he said in comments sent to the media by the Ukrainian Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security. "I am absolutely against the suppression of freedom of speech. But this is too much. This is not freedom of the media; it is something else." Ukraine's attempts to regulate Telegram mirror broader efforts to consolidate media control. Since the escalation of hostilities with Russia in 2022, the country's President Volodymyr Zelensky has shuttered opposition media outlets, citing national security concerns. A state-run "news marathon" now dominates television, while foreign-funded independent outlets struggle after Washington dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development, a key financial backer. (Related: Ukraine transforms into authoritarian dictatorship overnight as Zelenskyy bans 11 political parties and seizes media control.) Historically, Ukraine's media landscape has been a battleground. After the 2014 Maidan revolution, Kyiv banned Russian social networks like VKontakte – but Telegram's encryption and global reach make it harder to suppress. Yet for many Ukrainians, Telegram remains indispensable – offering real-time updates on air raids, frontline developments and uncensored opinions. As the Russia-Ukraine war drags on, Ukraine faces a dilemma: crack down on dissent or uphold free speech at the risk of misinformation. For now, Telegram's channels keep buzzing with truth, lies and everything in between. Watch this Russia Today report about the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov and how it reveals the true face of Western democracy. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

CITIZENS NEWS

Budanov: Telegram a "national security" problem

More related stories: