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Telegram is facing new restrictions and fines for hosting content that the authorities object to. According to reports, Russia’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, planned to limit access to Telegram from today. Telegram users across Russia reported widespread disruptions for a second consecutive day. Complaints on outage-monitoring services surged to around 15,000, far above normal levels, with most users reporting problems downloading photos and videos. Some users in Russia say the app is still working but appears to be slow. Regulator cites crime prevention as basis for ongoing restrictions Roskomnadzor said it will continue to impose consistent restrictions on the Telegram messenger “in order to enforce Russian legislation and ensure the protection of citizens.” According to Roskomnadzor, the restrictions were introduced to “counter criminals”.  In Russia, the app, founded by Russian-born entrepreneur Pavel Durov, is used publicly and privately far and wide. Newsmakers of all kinds, including the Kremlin, courts, media, celebrities, and the exiled opposition, use the app to instantly distribute information to large audiences. State news agency RIA said Telegram faces fines of up to 64 million roubles ($830,000) in eight upcoming court hearings. All of them are related to alleged failures to remove information required by Russian law. Russia began limiting Telegram last August. The state accused the app of refusing to share information with law enforcement in fraud and terrorism cases. These limits included restricting some features, such as voice and video calls, on the service co-founded by Russian billionaire Pavel Durov. Meanwhile, as restrictions expand, many Russians increasingly rely on virtual private networks (VPN) to bypass state censorship and access blocked or throttled services. Outside Russia, Telegram is facing legal and regulatory action in several countries as of early 2026. In France, authorities have investigated Telegram founder Pavel Durov over alleged failures to curb criminal and extremist…

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Filed under: News - @ February 10, 2026 4:29 pm