Ukraine bans use of Telegram on government devices amid Russian surveillance concerns

Taking a significant step to protect its national security, Ukraine has banned government and military officials from using the Telegram messaging app on state-issued devices.

The decision comes amid growing concerns about Russian surveillance.

According to the website of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity (NCCC), a key body for coordination and control in the field of cybersecurity, has decided to restrict the use of Telegram in government agencies, military structures and critical infrastructure facilities.

During a meeting held by the NCCC on Thursday, Ukraine’s defense intelligence chief, Kirylo Budanov, presented evidence that Russian special services have access to personal correspondence of Telegram users, even deleted messages, as well as their personal data.

he/she said, “I have always been in favor of freedom of expression, but the Telegram issue is not a matter of freedom of expression, it is a matter of national security.”

During the meeting, representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces highlighted that Telegram is being used by enemy forces for activities such as cyber attacks, phishing, malware dissemination, tracking user geolocation, and even adjusting missile strikes.

To minimize these threats, it was decided to ban the installation and use of Telegram on official devices of government officials, military personnel, security and defense sector employees, as well as enterprises operating critical infrastructure. However, the ban will not affect officials who use Telegram as part of their duties.

Meanwhile, a number of decisions were made to develop the cybersecurity sector in the country – including the launch of a national initiative to promote the role of women in cybersecurity and gender equality, and the introduction of an automated platform for monitoring the implementation of Ukraine’s Cybersecurity Strategy (CyberTracker), which will improve strategic planning in this area. Some issues aimed at strengthening national cyber resilience were also discussed in the closed session.

Telegram, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov.