Russia may restrict Telegram to promote state-run messaging app – official

Russian authorities should consider slowing down or even banning access to Telegram to encourage citizens to switch to a state-run messaging app, a former presidential adviser said on Thursday.

Speaking on “Solovyov Live,” German Klimenko, head of the Digital Economy Development Fund and former internet adviser to the Kremlin, said Telegram has about 90 million users in Russia and is growing rapidly, trailing only slightly behind VK’s 93 million active users.

“The government should ‘help’ Telegram a bit — by throttling its speed or banning it altogether — so people migrate to the national messenger,” he said. The new platform is expected to be linked to the “Gosuslugi” digital services portal to eliminate user anonymity.

The Russian parliament passed a law this week approving the creation of a national messaging system.