Russia to Block Telegram on April 1 Amid Censorship Push

Source: nytimes.com

Russia's government is set to completely shut down Telegram, the last major international messaging app still widely used by its citizens, on April 1, 2026. Key players include President Vladimir Putin, regulator Roskomnadzor, the antitrust agency FAS, and Telegram founder Pavel Durov, whom the FSB is investigating for alleged terrorism links. The core push is to force users onto Kremlin-controlled platforms amid claims Telegram aids criminals, terrorists, and Western spies. This matters because