"Is Telegram banned in Russia?"
In the midst of Russia's regulatory push for foreign IT companies to establish local presences, Telegram, the popular messaging app, finds itself at the centre of speculation. While government and media sources suggest Telegram is moving forward with plans for a Russian office or legal entity, direct denials from the app's founder and spokesperson contradict these claims.
Reports from mid-July 2025 indicate that Telegram has entered the approval stage for establishing a branch, representative office, or Russian legal entity, according to Roskomnadzor's registry and several media outlets. This comes in line with Russia’s “landing” law, which requires foreign IT companies with a daily audience of over 500,000 users to create a local presence.
However, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, responded on his Russian-language Telegram channel with a cryptic “100%” comment, hinting at a targeted campaign to discredit the messenger. His former spokesperson, Georgy Lobushkin, explicitly stated that there are "no such plans and there can’t be for many reasons." Durov has previously emphasized that he does not engage in business with the Russian government and highlighted difficult relations with authorities.
The move might be related to Russia promoting its own state-sponsored national messenger, Max, set to be pre-installed on all devices sold in Russia from September 2025. It's unclear from the provided information what specific requirements of the "landing" law Telegram is planning to comply with.
Since January 2023, 12 enforcement proceedings have been opened against Telegram in Russia. In July 2025, the messenger was fined 7 million rubles for not fulfilling the obligations of a social network owner. Telegram currently has a debt of almost 23.47 million rubles for various administrative offenses.
The market for advertising with Russian bloggers in 2025 is reported to reach 57 billion rubles, according to DK.RU. Anton Gorelkin, the first deputy head of the State Duma's information policy committee, reported that as of June, Telegram had not complied with the "landing" law by not opening a representative office or authorized legal entity in Russia. This was reported with a reference to a record in Roskomnadzor's registry.
Despite the official registry entries and media reports, the situation remains unresolved or disputed. The registration may be procedural or strategic without concrete plans fully aligned with Durov’s stated position. As the situation unfolds, it's clear that Telegram's decision will have significant implications for the tech industry in Russia.
[1] [Media Outlet 1] [2] [Media Outlet 2] [3] [Media Outlet 3] [4] [Media Outlet 4]
- The ongoing speculation about Telegram establishing a local presence in Russia, as mandated by the "landing" law, continues to be emphasized by various media outlets, such as [Media Outlet 1], [Media Outlet 2], [Media Outlet 3], and [Media Outlet 4].
- In the realm of technology and politics, the decision of Telegram to comply with Russia’s "landing" law or not will significantly impact the tech industry in Russia, as it may signal a shift in the country's stance on foreign IT companies and its promotion of state-sponsored messengers like Max.
