The disruption affecting Telegram and several other instant messaging apps appears linked to a broader update of the Roskomnadzor gateways. In discussion about TV channel Duma TV, Anton Tkachev, who serves as Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications, shared his assessment. He noted that the changes to the gateway infrastructure could influence the accessibility of some services as the system undergoes realignment.
Tkachev explained that certain networks might experience short-term instability as Roskomnadzor reorganizes its gatekeeping framework. The purpose of this review is to identify bottlenecks and adjust configurations so they do not hinder legitimate access. In time, this process could enable the unblocking of particular gateways or channels as the authorities refine the network routes and security measures involved.
Earlier, Anton Gorelkin, another Deputy Chairman of the same committee, commented on the situation, suggesting that the outages seen with Telegram and other widely used platforms in Russia could be the result of human error or a potential cyber intrusion. The remarks underscored the possibility that the event might reflect both operational missteps and security-related challenges that require careful investigation and remediation.
On February 27, 2024, Telegram experienced a malfunction in Russia around 12:35 Moscow time. Reports indicated that many users encountered trouble establishing connections not only with Telegram but also with other popular services, including WhatsApp, YouTube, VKontakte, Gosuslugi, Steam, and more. The cascading effects highlighted how a single disruption can ripple across multiple digital ecosystems that rely on interconnected networks and gateways for stable access.
Prior statements from the Ministry of Digital Development noted ongoing efforts to restore Telegram’s functionality within the country. These updates reflect a coordinated approach to bring affected services back to reliable operation while ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements and security standards. The overall objective remains to minimize downtime and preserve user access across critical digital channels during the restoration process.