Authorities in Dagestan and Chechnya have blocked the Telegram messaging app, citing security concerns, according to Dagestan’s digital development minister, Yuri Gamzatov, as reported by TASS on Saturday.
The decision comes amid rising militant Islamist activity in these predominantly Muslim southern Russian regions. Gamzatov stated that Telegram is often used by hostile entities, referencing the October 2023 anti-Israel riot at Makhachkala airport, where protesters stormed the facility attempting to target passengers arriving from Israel. No passengers were harmed, and several individuals have since faced legal action.
Reports suggest that local Telegram channels played a role in spreading information about the flight, with some users inciting antisemitic violence. Telegram condemned the incident and pledged to block the channels involved.
Despite its Dubai-based operations, Telegram, founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov, remains widely used across Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet states, with nearly 1 billion users globally. Moscow previously attempted but failed to block Telegram in 2018 and has pressured the platform to hand over user data.
Durov is currently under formal investigation in France for alleged links to organized crime through the app.
While Gamzatov hinted at a potential reversal of the Telegram ban, he advised users to transition to alternative messaging platforms in the meantime.
