In Russia, a new unofficial Telegram client called Telega has emerged, operating on the infrastructure of VK and the state messenger MAX. Both services are fully controlled by the Russian government and are used for state digital surveillance. This was reported by the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
“Telega is actively promoted in Russia as a solution to bypass call blocks. However, as IT specialists have confirmed, the application actually operates on the infrastructure of VK and MAX, which are under the control of the Russian government and integrated into the state digital control system,” the report states.
According to experts, this allows authorities to censor channels, monitor correspondence, and collect personal user data such as IP addresses, phone numbers, session durations, and call metadata. The code of the application also revealed a VK service API key and a “blacklist” function for channels that can be activated remotely. This indicates a new tool for censorship and surveillance of citizens.
The Center for Counteracting Disinformation noted that the Russian state has effectively found a way to deceitfully infiltrate the smartphones of its citizens under the guise of “bypassing censorship.” Step by step, Russia is constructing a “digital concentration camp” where even attempts to maintain privacy can become a trap.