By Reuters | Updated: March 16, 2026
MOSCOW, March 16 (Reuters) – Russia has fined the Telegram messaging app 35 million roubles ($432,366) for failing to remove banned content, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported on Monday.
Authorities have repeatedly accused Telegram, one of the most popular messaging apps in Russia, of allowing itself to be used as a platform for illegal and extremist content.
Telegram rejects the charge and has accused Russia of trying to throttle its services in order to force people to switch to a state-run app called MAX.
($1 = 80.9500 roubles)
Reporting by Reuters Editing by Andrew Osborn
© Thomson Reuters 2026
