Russia reportedly plans to fully block Telegram in April — except for on the front lines

The Russian authorities plan to permanently block the messaging app Telegram in early April, the news outlet RBC reported, citing a source familiar with discussions in the relevant government agencies.

Two of the outlet’s sources close to the Kremlin described the decision as final. Among the reasons discussed, they said, was “a recent rise in cases of people — including minors — being recruited to carry out unlawful acts.”

Commenting on RBC’s reporting, Russia’s censorship agency (Roskomnadzor) said it had “nothing to add” to its previous statements on the matter.

Russian authorities began blocking Telegram videos calls in the summer of 2025. Following widespread service disruptions in February, Roskomnadzor announced that it was rolling out further restrictions. However, the censorship agency has neither confirmed nor denied reports that it intends to fully block the messenger starting April 1.

In mid-February, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev said the authorities were not currently planning to restrict Telegram’s use on the front lines, where Russian troops rely on the app to coordinate their actions. At the same time, he expressed hope that service members would eventually transition to other platforms.

An RBC source close to the Kremlin said that by April, Telegram will only function at the front. Roskomnadzor’s plans to block the messenger by that date were previously reported by Baza, a Telegram channel with ties to Russia’s security services.