MOSCOW, February 25. /TASS/. Content being communicated via Telegram can be used against Russian troops, which is why the military prefers domestic communication tools, an assault regiment commander with call sign Shum (Noise) said in a video the Russian Defense Ministry shared with TASS.
Servicemen use standard Russian-developed means of communication that do not rely on Telegram or other social media networks or messengers for combat tasks in the special military operation zone, the ministry specified.
"While on a combat mission in the zone of the special military operation, we never use the Telegram messenger for troops control. Those are overseas-based services, and the enemy has access to content being communicated via it [Telegram] that can be used against our forces and cause deaths among the military," the commander revealed.
According to him, troops use a Russian messenger operating through channels of communication with certified security instead. "This military-purpose messenger makes it possible to fulfil combat tasks in full. Large numbers of personnel use it to exchange messages of various types. The messenger provides the entire range of modern services, including video conferencing, group chats, voice messaging, sharing of files, and many other services," Shum added.
On February 10, Russia’s telecom regulator Roskomnadzor said it will continue slowing down the Telegram messenger until it fully complies with Russian laws. Attackers have used the messenger for fraud, money extortion and cybercrime, the telecom watchdog noted. Russian Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev said on February 18 that the Federal Security Service (FSB) is aware that terrorists use Telegram as he pointed to the systematic and constant violation of federal law requirements by the messenger.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said that Telegram contains a significant amount of potentially dangerous content, while its administration is unwilling to cooperate with Russian authorities. According to the Digital Development Ministry, the Telegram messenger administration ignored around 150,000 "requests to remove channels, materials and posts containing illegal content.".