Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has reportedly intercepted private messages between Russian citizens and Ukrainian Telegram channel bots, initiating treason investigations based on the contents, according to human rights NGO First Department.
The revelation underscores escalating digital surveillance and raises concerns about Telegram's security posture amid Russia's deepening crackdown on dissent.
Shades on Telegram
The First Department, a Russian human rights organization assisting defendants in politically charged cases, sounded the alarm, warning that the FSB now routinely uses intercepted Telegram correspondence as evidence in criminal proceedings. According to their investigation, the intelligence agency began accessing these messages in the context of a 2022 criminal case targeting Ukrainian intelligence services. This case, still officially without suspects, alleges Ukraine's use of Telegram and other platforms to collect information threatening Russian national security.
Messages directed at Ukrainian channels such as Crimean Wind, Vision Vishnun, and others reportedly fall under this surveillance net. When an individual is identified sending data, such as images of military assets or financial contributions to these bots, the FSB extracts the communication and forwards it to the regional branch, and treason charges often follow. The NGO reports that by the time arrests occur, the FSB already possesses full records of the users' private Telegram correspondence.
What makes this situation particularly opaque is that the primary investigation contains no defendants or legal representation, which the First Department argues allows the FSB to obscure how it gains access to the communications. The lack of technical transparency has given rise to speculation about Telegram's potential cooperation with Russian authorities or the deployment of advanced surveillance tools that are not yet publicly known.
Dmitry Zair-Bek, head of the First Department, noted that in many of their legal cases, Telegram messages, subscriptions, and channel administration data form key evidence. While device compromise remains the most common explanation, he acknowledged that in several instances, the method of data acquisition defies conventional technical logic. This suggests either the use of unknown cyber-espionage techniques or silent compliance by Telegram. In either case, Zair-Bek emphasized that Telegram cannot be considered a secure messenger for sensitive communication in Russia.
Telegram, the messaging platform founded by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, has long touted its commitment to privacy and end-to-end encryption. However, its opaque server infrastructure and historical compromises have led to persistent concerns.
Update: A Telegram spokesperson responded to our request for a comment, stating there isn't any evidence the messaging platform has been breached, and declining they share data with any government.
“The encryption protocols Telegram uses have never been breached and Telegram has never disclosed a single byte of message data to any government,” stated the Telegram spokesperson.
“Every supposed instance of “leaked messages” Telegram has investigated has been the result of a compromised device.”
State messenger coming soon
The warning from the First Department arrives at a moment of broader digital realignment in Russia. This summer, as the Russian Ministry of Digital Development plans to unveil Max, a state-supported national messenger app. The platform, developed by a private company with government backing, will require phone number registration and will restrict the use of foreign numbers. Enhanced features will demand authentication through the country's state services portal, Gosuslugi. While not requiring passport verification at launch, Max will allow identification of users by phone number and plans to integrate digital ID capabilities for official transactions.
Government figures, including Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev and lawmaker Anton Gorelkin, have touted Max as a domestic alternative to Western platforms, suggesting it could eventually replace services like Telegram. Critics, however, fear a repeat of prior state efforts to suppress foreign platforms via gradual throttling and quality degradation rather than outright bans.
For users concerned about digital privacy, First Department advises migrating to secure alternatives such as Signal, Session, or SimpleX Chat services that offer stronger cryptographic protections and are not based in jurisdictions with known surveillance cooperation.
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