Pavel Durov Updates Telegram to Bypass Total Ban in Russia

The platform’s founder announced a “digital resistance” campaign and new anti-censorship protocols after Moscow blocked the app, urging users to switch to VPNs to maintain access. Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Construction workers attach the Russian national flag to the top of the water tower in Mariupol, in Russian-controlled Ukraine, on April 17, 2024 amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. (Photo by AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced on Sunday, April 12, that the messaging app has upgraded its protocols to counter government censorship, advising Russian users to update the application to “stay connected despite the ban.” Writing on his official channel, Durov urged Russians to stock up on multiple VPN services and assist family members in doing the same. He specifically cautioned against using Russian-made apps while connected to a VPN, warning that domestic software could report such activity to authorities, leading to further blocks. Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . “Thanks to this Digital Resistance, Telegram usage in Russia has remained stable over the past week despite the full ban,” Durov stated. He noted that approximately 65 million users in Russia still access the platform daily. To maintain this connectivity, Telegram has released an update that disguises its traffic as Google Chrome browser data, making it harder for regulators to identify. The crackdown began on Friday, April 10, when Roskomnadzor fully blocked the app across the Russian Federation . Access failures reached 95% on both mobile and fixed networks, marking the most extensive restriction on the platform since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has justified the ban by claiming the service facilitates criminal activity, while simultaneously promoting its new “national” messenger, MAX . This follows years of increasing internet restrictions, including the throttling of YouTube and the imposition of an astronomical fine on Google in late 2024. Other Topics of Interest Budanov Signals New Prisoner Swap by Week’s End Following the return of 182 Ukrainians on Saturday, Kyiv is preparing a subsequent exchange phase as officials warn that the Orthodox Easter ceasefire is unlikely to hold. As the Kremlin moves to tighten its control over the information space, Durov pledged to continue improving decentralized anti-censorship technology. “Keep it up. On our side, we’ll continue improving Telegram’s decentralized anti-censorship tech,” he told his followers, emphasizing that the platform would not comply with Russia’s demands to compromise user data or restrict access. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.