Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has begun gradually restricting access to the Telegram messaging app, citing the platform's insufficient efforts to combat fraud and criminal activity, RBC reported on February 10.

Pavel Durov’s relationship with Moscow has swung from uneasy dependence to open confrontation, shaping both his career and the Kremlin’s digital strategy. As the founder of VKontakte, he first clashed with Russian authorities by refusing to hand over data or to shut down opposition groups during protests, a stance that led to his ouster and VK's takeover by Kremlin‑aligned businessmen.

Users in Russia may experience disruptions to Telegram's services as the regulator slows and limits access to the app, according to on-the-ground reports.

Roskomnadzor said in a statement that it would continue to impose incremental restrictions on the platform, arguing that Telegram's measures to prevent fraud and criminal use are inadequate.

Residents in Moscow confirmed they were experiencing limited access to Telegram but said they had no intention of switching to alternative platforms.

The move follows earlier action by Roskomnadzor, which months ago alleged that both Telegram and WhatsApp were being used for extortion and terrorist activities. At that time, the regulator partially blocked voice calls on both messaging services.

The Russian government has, for some time, required smartphone and tablet manufacturers to pre-install the domestic messaging app Max on devices sold in the country.

Telegram Chief Executive Pavel Durov responded to the Russian government's blocking efforts and its push to migrate users to domestic platforms. Durov pointed to the permanent blocking of Telegram in Iran, noting that the app has maintained its popularity among Iranian users despite the restrictions.

"Russia is restricting access to Telegram in an attempt to force its citizens to switch to a state-controlled app built for surveillance and political censorship," he said in a personal post. 

He added, "8 years ago, Iran tried the same strategy — and failed. It banned Telegram on made-up pretexts, trying to force people onto a state-run alternative. Despite the ban, most Iranians still use Telegram (bypassing censorship) and prefer it to surveilled apps."

He added that restricting citizens’ freedom is "never the right answer." Telegram stands for freedom of speech and privacy, no matter the pressure.

Durov built Telegram in self‑declared exile in Dubai, casting it as a free‑speech refuge while defying Russian demands for encryption keys and user data, prompting fines and an ultimately failed attempt to block the app nationwide.