Russia faces backlash over internet restrictions amid Telegram crackdown

A public backlash over tightening internet restrictions in Russia, particularly targeting the popular messaging service Telegram, is forcing the Kremlin to reconsider its approach amid concerns the measures could undermine President Vladimir Putin’s support.

The push by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) for stricter online controls has triggered internal debate, with some senior officials warning of potential political and economic risks linked to restricting internet access, according to people familiar with the discussions, Bloomberg reports. 

The concerns are expected to slow the crackdown, allowing Telegram to continue operating in Russia for now, the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

“It’s clear that internet restrictions are causing inconvenience for many citizens, but that’s how it is now,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on April 14, adding that the measures were necessary for security reasons and had broad public support. “Once the need for these measures disappears, service will be fully restored and normalized.”

Russian authorities have intensified efforts in recent years to limit access to major social media platforms including YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, as part of broader moves to control information following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. More recently, officials have promoted a state-backed “super-app” called Max, modelled on China’s WeChat, while tightening access to Telegram.

Widespread mobile internet disruptions in Moscow, a city of more than 13 million people, in recent weeks also sparked public concern, with authorities describing the outages as security-related tests of the country’s digital infrastructure.

In parallel, the government has expanded restrictions on virtual private networks (VPNs), which are commonly used by Russians to bypass blocked content online.

By Sabina Mammadli