Russian President Vladimir Putin is presiding over a video conference on Arctic development at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence on the outskirts of Moscow on the 13th (local time), amid the ongoing invasion war in Ukraine. [Image source=Yonhap News]
[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] Foreign media reports have emerged that the use of the Telegram messenger by Russian citizens is increasing to obtain accurate news related to the Ukraine war.
On the 16th (local time), The New York Times (NYT) cited a report from global mobile data analytics firm Sensor Tower, stating that Telegram has become the most popular app in Russia since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Since 2014, there have been 124 million Telegram users in Russia, with an additional 4.4 million downloads after the outbreak of the war.
This appears to be due to the Russian authorities' strict media control. Since the Ukraine war, the authorities have banned social networking services (SNS) and international radio broadcasts. Additionally, through state-run media, distorted facts are being disseminated, and journalists voicing anti-war opinions are being detained, effectively blocking accurate news related to the war.
In this context, Russian journalist Farida Rustamova said, "Telegram is one of the few remaining channels to get news." Rustamova initially used Telegram only as a messenger but recently has been posting articles about the Putin-centered unity among Russian elites and an incident involving an employee's anti-war protest during a broadcast. Her channel has over 22,000 subscribers.
Another journalist, Ilya Seppelin, said, "Despite interference from the Russian government, Telegram remains the only medium where people can freely exchange opinions." He is currently writing critical posts about the war on his blog, replacing the now-closed independent media outlet Rain TV.
Dmitry Ivanov, a computer science student at Moscow State University, said he relies on Telegram to find news from trusted media outlets and websites he used to visit.
NYT reported that those opposing the war are accessing Western news and organizing anti-war protests through Telegram.
Meanwhile, Telegram also serves as a channel for spreading misinformation, propaganda by far-right groups, and hate speech. Vladimir Solovyov’s Telegram channel, where he delivers harsh criticism of Ukraine in a popular weekly talk show, has over one million subscribers. There are many war-supporting channels operated by anonymous users, and state media such as TASS and RIA Novosti are also providing news through their Telegram channels.
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