Intelligence: Telegram poses real threats to the security of Ukraine, there are questions about the platform

Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, said that the Telegram messenger contains a number of threats to the security of Ukraine, and it is necessary to look for solutions to this problem.

Yusov said this at an event at the Ukraine-Ukrinform Media Center.

"As for Telegram, the threats it poses to society are real. It is not about individual users or individual media that are presented on this platform, it is about the platform itself. It contains a number of threats to the information, and not only information, security of our country. Yes, this question needs to be answered, and I think it will definitely happen," Yusov said.

Currently, Ukraine is building communication with the administrations of all platforms, in particular with Telegram, in order to work according to transparent rules: both in accordance with Ukrainian legislation and in accordance with international standards.

"For some it is easier to solve, for others it is more difficult. Telegram is the most difficult. This is a constant, multi-level work: both on the territory of the platform itself by creating content that would destroy myths, clarify and cover the target audience, and work from the point of view of normalizing the activities of these platforms," concluded the representative of GUR.

• The Telegram messenger appeared in 2013. Its Russian founder, Pavlo Durov, was then still the CEO of the VKontakte social network. The technopreneur claimed that he and his brother, Nikolai, created Telegram because of fears of surveillance by the Russian government.