FSB claims Telegram data used by Ukraine for military purposes

Russia’s Federal Security Service (Federal Security Service, FSB) has stated that it possesses information suggesting that Ukraine’s armed forces and intelligence agencies are able to rapidly obtain data published on the messaging platform Telegram and use it for military purposes. The statement was conveyed through the agency’s Public Relations Centre in comments to Russian media.

According to the FSB, Ukrainian military and intelligence structures can quickly access information posted on Telegram and employ it while carrying out operational and combat tasks. The agency further claimed that, over the past three months, Telegram’s use by Russian servicemen operating in the special military operation zone has repeatedly posed risks to their safety.

Russia’s communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, began slowing the functioning of the application on February 10. Between February 15 and 17, Telegram reportedly blocked nearly 600,000 channels and groups — the highest figure recorded within a single month.

Roskomnadzor also said that, at its request, Telegram removes up to 100 so-called data-lookup services each week, bringing the total number removed since 2022 to 8,358. However, the regulator noted that the overall situation has not fundamentally changed because new resources continue to emerge. In its view, the platform’s management should independently prevent the operation of such bots, restrict their discoverability, and stop providing infrastructure enabling access to stolen personal data.

The FSB added that criminals actively exploit such data for fraud, extortion and sabotage. The agency stated that it has repeatedly urged Telegram to strengthen user security measures, but alleged that these appeals were ignored. It also claimed that the platform refuses to provide information to Russian law enforcement authorities not only in fraud investigations but also in cases involving the preparation and execution of terrorist attacks, while allegedly sharing data with foreign intelligence services.

By Tamilla Hasanova