Telegram Outages Reported in Russia with VPN and Service Impacts
Telegram users across Russia experienced noticeable disruption to the messenger service, as reflected by service analytics and monitoring systems. The incidents were confirmed by network outage trackers, which logged a surge in reports during the period in question. The majority of complaints originated from major urban centers, with Moscow showing the highest volume of trouble reports, followed by St. Petersburg, Izhevsk, and the Republic of Udmurtia. Users frequently noted that the app would not function properly unless a virtual private network was used, and a portion of the user base reported failures when attempting to upload photos or voice messages. These patterns point to targeted service interruptions that affected consumer messaging workflows and media sharing. [Citation: outage monitoring platforms and user reports cited by local observers.]
On February 27, Russians reported significant outages affecting Telegram along with several other popular messaging services and online platforms. Once the issues were resolved, social networks under the Meta umbrella, including Instagram and Facebook, resumed operation in Russiawithout the need for a VPN, despite ongoing regulatory restrictions associated with these platforms. X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, also returned to normal service levels. The recovery in these services coincided with a broader restoration of online communication channels observed in the same time frame. [Citation: network status summaries and watchdog updates.]
During this period, data circulated about changes to access to the Steam online gaming platform. Initially, Roskomnadzor added Steam to its list of restricted sites, only to remove it later. The evolving status of Steam’s accessibility underscores the fluctuating landscape of internet governance and content filtering in the region. [Citation: regulatory notices and official announcements.]
Industry representatives from major mobile operators, including Megafon, Tele2, and Beeline, indicated that the access issues were largely attributed to problems on the service provider side rather than solely to user devices or local networks. Their assessments suggest that the disruptions were tied to how traffic was routed and managed within the wider network ecosystem during the outage events. [Citation: operator statements and subsequent analyses.]
In related context, experts have previously highlighted recurring scams and fraudulent job postings that circulate through popular messaging platforms like Telegram. These warnings emphasize the need for careful evaluation of advertised opportunities and the importance of verifying the credibility of sources encountered in chat-based channels. [Citation: security bulletins and consumer advisories.]