The Kremlin spent years building a messenger to replace Telegram. Now it is reportedly telling soldiers the substitute is too insecure to use at the front.
Russian troops fighting in Ukraine have been advised to stop using Max — the Kremlin-backed “national messenger” app designed to replace Telegram — because it is not secure enough, the independent outlet Mediazona reports. The guidance comes as federal authorities have been throttling Telegram since summer 2025, triggering a backlash from pro-war commentators who say the app remains soldiers’ most reliable means of frontline communication. The Federal Security Service (FSB) has warned separately that Ukrainian forces can intercept Telegram traffic.
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The pro-war Telegram channel Fighterbomber reported the same news on February 22, citing rumors that the Russian military is “banning that ‘super-secure’ national app [Max]” on smartphones. “Supposedly, we’re getting some ‘one-of-a-kind’ holy grail of an app any day now, and then we can finally swap dick pics and classified docs in peace,” Fighterbomber wrote.
Russia has been restricting access to Telegram since the summer of 2025, when the national media regulator began blocking video calls on the platform. On February 10, the news outlet RBC reported that federal authorities had decided to intensify the throttling; that same day, users experienced problems loading media files. Officials later announced they would continue imposing “sequential restrictions” on the messenger to enforce “compliance with Russian law and ensure the public’s protection.”
The new restrictions set off a wave of criticism from pro-war channels on Telegram. Sergey Mironov, who leads the nominal opposition party Just Russia, defended Telegram as the only reliable means of communication for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine. Without naming anyone, Mironov also lashed out at those responsible for slowing access to the messenger, calling them “idiots” and “sons of bitches.”
The Kremlin has denied that troops rely on the platform, and spokespeople stated they cannot fathom frontline communications being conducted through Telegram.
On February 18, Russian Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev said authorities would not, for the time being, block Telegram at the front. However, the FSB later warned that Ukrainian forces can intercept Telegram data in real time. Russia’s Defense Ministry said troops at the front use “standard communications equipment” and a “normal, domestically developed messenger.”
Cover photo: Egor Aliev / TASS / Profimedia