Russia blocks Telegram for months, channels lose half their viewers

Russia's internet regulator Roskomnadzor has blocked Telegram for several months. Although the app remains accessible through VPNs and proxy servers, the restrictions have made it too cumbersome for everyday use, prompting users to abandon the platform. According to news outlet Agentstvo, Russian Telegram channels lost roughly half their audience during a throttling wave in late April and early May.

Telegram has been blocked in Russia for several months as the country's internet regulator Roskomnadzor has restricted access to the app. Although the service is formally accessible through VPNs and proxy servers, the restrictions have made Telegram sufficiently inconvenient for everyday use that many users have abandoned the platform.

According to news outlet Agentstvo, a new throttling wave implemented in late April and early May caused a particularly severe setback: Russian Telegram channels lost approximately half their viewers during this period. This is a significant blow to the platform, which in recent years has been one of the main channels for independent media and citizen communication in Russia.

Channel managers speak of the impact

Meduza spoke with five Telegram channel managers, three covering news and politics and two dealing with entertainment content. All confirmed that the restrictions have significantly reduced their audience and made channel management more difficult.

The impact of the blockade extends beyond simply declining viewer numbers: channel managers note that the number of active readers and commenters has dropped drastically, as using a VPN requires additional effort that ordinary users often prefer not to undertake.

Russian censorship pressures independent media

Telegram has become one of the few platforms where Russian citizens can access independent information about the war in Ukraine and commentary on the country's political situation. Roskomnadzor's pressure tactics demonstrate that Russian authorities want to control these few remaining information spaces that have so far remained relatively free. Similar tactics have previously been used against other platforms, such as YouTube.