Russia Intensifies Telegram Crackdown Promoting VK "Max" as National Alternative.

Russia Commences Telegram Blockade, Pressuring Users Toward State-Backed "Max" App

The Russian government has officially initiated its plan to throttle and block Telegram traffic, a move signaled since last year. This escalation is widely seen as an attempt to force the nation’s digital population toward Max, a localized messaging platform developed by the state-aligned tech giant VK.

The Official Stance

Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal executive body for media and telecommunications oversight, issued a statement confirming the restrictions. The agency justified the blockade by claiming that Telegram lacks sufficient measures to combat cybercrime, fraud, and the spread of extremist content, thereby posing a threat to national security.

Pavel Durov’s Defiance

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram and notably the former CEO of VK who fled Russia years ago has voiced his defiance. In a recent post, Durov asserted that Telegram would continue to resist government pressure. He drew a historical parallel to Iran’s attempt to ban the app eight years ago, noting that the effort ultimately failed as Iranian citizens continued to access the platform through various workarounds.

 VK's Max app is positioned as Russia's "Super App," mimicking China's WeChat model. Forcing users to switch to this app allows the government more control over censorship and information within the country than Telegram, which uses sophisticated encryption.

Russia is employing a TSPU (Technical Measures to Counter Threats) system, a data filtering device installed at the ISP level nationwide. However, Telegram has a built-in proxy and uses domain fronting techniques, making traffic blocking difficult and potentially causing collateral damage to other internet services.

This move is part of Russia's Sovereign Internet Law project, aiming to isolate the Russian internet (RuNet) from the outside world to prevent Western influence and platforms that do not cooperate with security agencies.

Even with blocking, Telegram remains a vital tool for businesses and news channels in Russia. A drastic block could cause significant disruption to economic communications, which is why the government is employing a gradual approach of throttling traffic rather than immediate closure.

 

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Source: The Verge 

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Russia Commences Telegram Blockade, Pressuring Users Toward State-Backed "Max" App

The Russian government has officially initiated its plan to throttle and block Telegram traffic, a move signaled since last year. This escalation is widely seen as an attempt to force the nation’s digital population toward Max, a localized messaging platform developed by the state-aligned tech giant VK.

The Official Stance

Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal executive body for media and telecommunications oversight, issued a statement confirming the restrictions. The agency justified the blockade by claiming that Telegram lacks sufficient measures to combat cybercrime, fraud, and the spread of extremist content, thereby posing a threat to national security.

Pavel Durov’s Defiance

Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram and notably the former CEO of VK who fled Russia years ago has voiced his defiance. In a recent post, Durov asserted that Telegram would continue to resist government pressure. He drew a historical parallel to Iran’s attempt to ban the app eight years ago, noting that the effort ultimately failed as Iranian citizens continued to access the platform through various workarounds.

 VK's Max app is positioned as Russia's "Super App," mimicking China's WeChat model. Forcing users to switch to this app allows the government more control over censorship and information within the country than Telegram, which uses sophisticated encryption.

Russia is employing a TSPU (Technical Measures to Counter Threats) system, a data filtering device installed at the ISP level nationwide. However, Telegram has a built-in proxy and uses domain fronting techniques, making traffic blocking difficult and potentially causing collateral damage to other internet services.

This move is part of Russia's Sovereign Internet Law project, aiming to isolate the Russian internet (RuNet) from the outside world to prevent Western influence and platforms that do not cooperate with security agencies.

Even with blocking, Telegram remains a vital tool for businesses and news channels in Russia. A drastic block could cause significant disruption to economic communications, which is why the government is employing a gradual approach of throttling traffic rather than immediate closure.

 

Singapore Unmasks Massive "China-Nexus" Cyber Espionage Campaign Targeting All Major Telcos

 

Source: The Verge