Ukraine Bans Telegram Use On State-Issued Devices

Ukraine has banned the use of the Telegram messaging platform on official devices issued to government and military personnel, as well as employees in the defense sector and critical infrastructure, Jaroslav Lukiv reported for BBC News.

Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov presented credible evidence suggesting that Russian special services could access Telegram users' personal correspondence, including deleted messages.

The country’s National Security and Defence Council (Rnbo) said the ban was implemented to “minimize” the risks posed by Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Telegram is actively used by the enemy for cyberattacks, the distribution of phishing and malicious software, user geolocation, and missile strike coordination,” the Rnbo said.

Telegram, in a statement to the BBC, insisted it has “never provided any messaging data to any country, including Russia.” The app is widely used by both the Ukrainian and Russian governments and militaries.

The Rnbo said the ban was agreed upon during a meeting that included Ukraine’s top information security officials, military leaders, and lawmakers.

Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov presented credible evidence suggesting that Russian special services could access Telegram users' personal correspondence, including deleted messages.s