Russia clamps down on Telegram protests as blocking reportedly expands

Russia is preventing public demonstrations over Telegram’s fate, as authorities restrict access and reportedly move toward broader blocking of the messenger. According to an Associated Press report, officials in multiple Russian regions—ranging from Moscow to Siberia—denied protest permits using unrelated “pretexts” such as snow removal and tree inspections. Organizers in Altai were sent home after authorities said their claims about an internet clampdown were “at odds with reality.” Some participants in public or unauthorized rallies were arrested, while others held indoor meetings to avoid trouble. In places where protests were allowed, gatherings were reportedly limited to city outskirts. Separately, Telegram’s connectivity issues appear to be worsening. Russia’s telecom and media watchdog Roskomnadzor (RKN) began slowing Telegram traffic last month and also restricted access to WhatsApp. Reports that the regulator’s plan to block Telegram could start as early as April 1 have not been confirmed. Network monitoring data cited by Meduza and OONI indicates disruptions have spiked since Friday: anomalies appeared in 72% of tests and Telegram was accessible in only 28% of cases. Complaints on outage-tracking sites reportedly surged across regions, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. Meduza’s survey of about 7,500 Russia-based readers found 88% reported Telegram not working properly—17% said it was completely down, while 46% described it as slow and unreliable. Telegram founder Pavel Durov has previously criticized a government-backed alternative, MAX, as surveillance-oriented. For crypto traders, the key takeaway is that Telegram—used broadly for public coordination—faces escalating censorship and reliability risk inside Russia, reinforcing the broader trend of tighter state control over online infrastructure.