Analysis | ‘Weapon of war’ Telegram under increased scrutiny after CEO Pavel Durov’s arrest
The encrypted app has become crucial for Russian battlefield communications in the war in Ukraine, observers say
The arrest of maverick entrepreneur Pavel Durov has drawn global attention to the importance of his messaging app Telegram for Russian troops and propagandists as Moscow’s war against Ukraine grinds into its third year.
Since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in 2022, Telegram, which has over 900 million active users, has emerged as a crucial platform used by pro-war bloggers to justify Moscow’s invasion and sow disinformation in Ukraine and the West.
It is also used as a tool by Ukraine – President Volodymyr Zelensky posts his daily nightly address on Telegram – although for Kyiv the app appears to lack the same military significance.
Observers say that in the absence of a modern battlefield management system, Russian troops have also grown to rely on Telegram in their day-to-day operations, using the encrypted app for everything from the transfer of intelligence to course-correcting artillery attacks and guiding Iskander missile systems.
The arrest of the Russian-born Telegram chief in France has sent shock waves among Russian authorities and war propagandists who fear the popular app will be compromised if Durov hands the encryption keys over to Western intelligence.