Russia Blocks Telegram, Forcing Kremlin to Switch Service
A man is seen as a silhouette as he checks a mobile device whilst standing against an illuminated wall bearing Telegram's logo in this arranged photograph in London.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
Russia began implementing a ban on the Telegram messenger service for refusing to hand over encryption keys to security services, a move that forced Kremlin officials to switch to another provider for communications with media.
The Roskomnadzor communications watchdog on Monday ordered internet and mobile phone operators to block access to Telegram within 24 hours. It acted after a Moscow court ruled last week that Telegram’s Russian founder Pavel Durov failed to comply with legislation requiring the company to give the Federal Security Service access to users’ encrypted messages.