Image for representational purposes only.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Russia has fined the Telegram messaging app 35 million roubles ($4,32,366) for failing to remove banned content, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported on Monday (March 16, 2026).
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.
Published – March 16, 2026 04:38 pm IST
