Ukraine Bans Telegram on Official Devices Amid Russian Surveillance Concerns

Ukraine has restricted the use of Telegram by government and military officials on state-issued devices to mitigate national security risks. The decision, prompted by fears of Russian surveillance, was announced after evidence of access by Russian special services to users' personal correspondence and data was presented.

In a decisive move to protect national security, Ukraine has prohibited government and military officials from using the Telegram messaging app on state-issued devices. This measure is a response to escalating concerns over Russian surveillance.

The National Coordination Centre for Cybersecurity (NCCC) has mandated these restrictions in government agencies, military formations, and critical infrastructure, as cited on the website of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council. At an NCCC meeting, Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, revealed that Russian special services can access Telegram users' personal correspondence and data, including deleted messages.

'Freedom of speech is important, but Telegram's issue transcends it; it's about national security,' Budanov stated. During the meeting, representatives from Ukraine's Security Service and General Staff of the Armed Forces noted that enemy forces are exploiting Telegram for cyberattacks, phishing, malware dissemination, user geolocation tracking, and adjusting missile strikes.

To mitigate these dangers, a ban was imposed on the installation and usage of Telegram on official devices of government, military, and security personnel, as well as those in critical infrastructure sectors. However, this ban excludes officials who use Telegram for their professional duties. Additional measures were discussed to bolster the country's cybersecurity sector, including a national initiative to promote women's roles and gender equality in cybersecurity, and the launch of an automated platform, CyberTracker, for monitoring the implementation of Ukraine's Cybersecurity Strategy. Other closed-session discussions focused on strengthening national cyber resilience.

Telegram, headquartered in Dubai, UAE, was founded by Russian-born Pavel Durov. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)