Overview
- Digital minister Maksut Shadayev said Telegram will not be restricted for Russian forces in the combat zone, without explaining how the carveout will work.
- He added that authorities want servicemen to transition to other platforms over time.
- Roskomnadzor has pursued “sequential restrictions” since August 2025, including fines, blocking calls and slowing media, to enforce Russia’s “landing” law.
- A report from the Baza channel said a total block could start on April 1, which the regulator neither confirmed nor denied.
- Telegram rejected Shadayev’s claim that foreign intelligence can read chats, calling it a fabricated pretext for a ban, while pro-war voices and some soldiers warned restrictions disrupt frontline communications.