Russia's state communications regulator Roskomnadzor denied implementing new restrictions on popular messaging application Telegram despite user complaints about slow video loading speeds, the agency told state TASS on January 16.

Russian authorities have encouraged users to switch to Max, a government-backed messaging application launched in 2025. State agencies were advised to adopt Max by January 1.

"No new restriction measures are currently being applied to Telegram," the watchdog stated, responding to media reports claiming the agency had introduced partial blocking of the messaging platform.

Russian media earlier reported the regulator had imposed fresh limitations affecting video uploads in the messenger, with users complaining about slow loading speeds since early January. Telecommunications industry sources told Russian outlets the restrictions originated from Roskomnadzor.

Andrei Svintsov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Technology and Communications, told news outlet NSN on January 16 that Russia had begun throttling Telegram download speeds over content moderation disputes.

"The company's management does engage with authorities, but the speed of their response is apparently insufficient," Svintsov said. He linked the measures to Telegram's handling of demands to remove flagged content.

Svintsov said Russian authorities were waiting for Telegram to ban channels publishing what he termed "outright lies and distorted facts" about the war in Ukraine, as well as information used to manipulate stock markets.

He suggested the slowdown measures served as a signal for the platform to increase content moderation efforts.

Roskomnadzor restricted voice and video calls on Telegram and WhatsApp in August 2025, describing the action as an anti-fraud initiative.

The watchdog claimed both platforms had become primary channels for call-based scams, extortion and recruitment into terrorism and sabotage.

The restrictions prompted 42 Telegram and WhatsApp users to file a class-action lawsuit against Roskomnadzor and the Digital Development Ministry in December 2025, arguing the measures violated constitutional rights, including freedom of information and communications secrecy.

Founded by Pavel and Nikolai Durov in 2013, Telegram operates as an LLC registered in the United Arab Emirates' Dubai Free Zone since 2017, with offices in the Business Central Towers. The parent entity is headquartered in the British Virgin Islands.