MOSCOW, February 17. /TASS/. Russia's telecom watchdog Roskomnadzor said it has nothing to add to previously published information regarding the possible blocking of Telegram, the regulator’s press service told TASS.

TASS has compiled the key facts surrounding the messenger’s operations.

Restrictions on the messenger’s operations

- Media outlets have reported that the Telegram messenger may be fully blocked starting April 1.

- Roskomnadzor’s press service stated that the agency has nothing to add to previously published information regarding the possible blocking of Telegram.

- Earlier, Roskomnadzor said that Telegram does not comply with Russian legislation, that personal data are not adequately protected, and that there are no effective measures to counter fraud and the use of the messenger for criminal and terrorist purposes.

- In this regard, the regulator will continue introducing consistent restrictions in order to secure compliance with Russian legislation and ensure the protection of citizens.

Expert opinions

- Reports citing a specific date for blocking Telegram’s operations in Russia appear unusual and may represent a negotiating position aimed at compelling the platform to comply with Russian laws, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy Evgeny Popov said.

- There are no official confirmations that the Telegram messenger will be blocked in Russia as of April 1, and it is premature to speak of an allegedly agreed date or an initiated process to restrict the platform’s operations, member of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies, and Communications Anton Nemkin old TASS.

- He emphasized that there are currently no publicly announced legal grounds or procedural steps indicating the inevitability of a total restriction of access.

- At the same time, he recalled that the state’s position regarding internet platforms remains unchanged and consistent - Russia is prepared to work with both domestic and foreign services, provided they strictly comply with national legislation.

Blocking of groups and channels

- On February 16, Telegram’s administration blocked 187,300 channels and groups worldwide that violated its policies, according to updated statistics on the messenger’s website.

- On February 15, the administration blocked 238,800 channels and groups that violated its policies.

- The last time the number of blocked channels and groups exceeded that level was on January 23, when more than 300,000 were blocked.

- As of February 17, more than 7.463 mln groups and channels have been blocked on Telegram since the beginning of the year.

- The largest single-day blocking of channels and groups occurred on January 1, 2026, when nearly 543,000 groups and channels were blocked.

- Telegram’s administration has been actively blocking groups and channels since November 2024, and a framework for interaction with Roskomnadzor and the police has been established, Head of the investigations department at T.Hunter Igor Bederov told TASS.