Foreign intelligence services are able to see messages sent by Russian soldiers using the Telegram messaging app, Russia's minister for digital development Maksud Shadayev said on Wednesday, the Interfax news agency reported.
Telegram is one of the most popular messenger services in Russia and is widely used by Russian forces fighting in Ukraine. However it's under pressure from the authorities who have imposed restrictions on it over what they say is its failure to delete extremist content.
"There are numerous indications that foreign intelligence agencies have access to the messenger's correspondence and are using this data against the Russian military," Shadayev was cited as saying.
However, the minister did not provide specific technical details on how foreign spies are allegedly accessing the encrypted messages.
Roskomnadzor, Russia's communications regulator, has said it is slowing down Telegram's service amid a wider crackdown on foreign-owned messengers who it says have failed to comply with Russian law.
The Kremlin confirmed last week that U.S. messenger app WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms, has been completely blocked for failing to comply with local law, suggesting Russians turn to a state-backed "national messenger" - MAX - instead.
However, critics say MAX is a surveillance tool. Russian authorities deny this.
Frontline reliance
Many troops rely on Telegram for vital battlefield tasks. These include coordinating artillery fire, sharing maps, and communicating with commanders, according to reports.
Critics argue that secure military communication systems are often unavailable or unreliable. Soldiers have previously complained about the loss of other communication tools, such as Starlink terminals.
It's reported that both sides of the war in Ukraine use the app extensively for propaganda, recruitment, and battlefield logistics.
Telegram has remained one of the few platforms in Russia where independent news and dissenting voices can still be found.
Afghan and Uzbek traders have signed 25 agreements worth more than $300 million at a business conference, as officials from both sides said trade ties...
U.S.-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva were “difficult” but yielded some progress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said,...
Turkmenistan is preparing for a presidential visit to Brussels as the European Parliament considers ratifying a partnership agreement that has been st...
Millions of Muslims around the world have begun observing Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and the most sacred period in Islam....
Foreign intelligence services are able to see messages sent by Russian soldiers using the Telegram messaging app, Russia's minister for digital develo...
The Kremlin has sought to lower expectations ahead of the latest round of Ukraine peace talks in Geneva, saying no announcements should be expected on Tuesday as negotiations continue behind closed doors.
Representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the United States are set to meet in Geneva for a third round of trilateral negotiations aimed at ending the nearly four-year war, even as both sides intensify military pressure on the ground.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday (15 February) called it “troubling” a report by five European allies blaming Russia for killing late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny using a toxin from poison dart frogs.
Russia has outlined potential areas for economic cooperation with the Trump administration, including a possible return to using the U.S. dollar in bilateral dealings, Bloomberg News reported, citing an internal Kremlin memo.
Cuba’s fuel crisis has turned into a waste crisis, with rubbish piling up on most street corners in Havana as many collection trucks lack enough petrol to operate.
Ruben Vardanyan has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by the Baku Military Court after being found guilty of a series of offences including war crimes, terrorism and crimes against humanity.
Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced on 16 February that the Honourable Janice Charette has been appointed as the next Chief Trade Negotiator to the United States. She's been tasked with overseeing the upcoming review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
The Pentagon has threatened to designate artificial intelligence firm Anthropic as a “supply chain risk” amid a dispute over the military use of its Claude AI model, according to a report published Monday.
Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon killed two people in 12 hours, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
U.S.-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva were “difficult” but yielded some progress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, adding that both sides agreed to continue negotiations despite their remaining differences.
Millions of Muslims around the world have begun observing Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and the most sacred period in Islam.
Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify in a high-profile trial in Los Angeles examining claims that the company’s platforms contributed to youth addiction and mental health harm.
The drumbeats have finally faded at the Marquês de Sapucaí, bringing the competitive phase of the Rio Carnival 2026 to a dazzling close. Over two marathon nights of spectacle, the twelve elite schools of the "Special Group" transformed the Sambadrome into a riot of colour.
Japan’s parliament has reappointed Sanae Takaichi as the country’s 105th prime minister ten days after a snap general election that handed her party a decisive two-thirds majority in the lower house.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment