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Finance

Russia fines Telegram app $432,366 for failing to remove banned content, Ifax reports

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on March 16, 2026

1 min read

· Last updated: April 1, 2026

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Russia fines Telegram app $432,366 for failing to remove banned content, Ifax reports

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MOSCOW, March 16 (Reuters) - Russia has fined the Telegram messaging app 35 million roubles ($432,366) for failing to remove banned content, Russia's Interfax news agency reported on Monday.

Russia Fines Telegram $432,366 for Failing to Remove Banned Content

Telegram Faces Legal Action Over Banned Content in Russia

Details of the Fine

MOSCOW, March 16 (Reuters) - Russia has fined the Telegram messaging app 35 million roubles ($432,366) for failing to remove banned content, Russia's Interfax news agency reported on Monday.

Background and Accusations

Allegations Against Telegram

Authorities have repeatedly accused Telegram, one of the most popular messaging apps in Russia, of allowing itself to be used as a platform for illegal and extremist content.

Telegram's Response

Telegram rejects the charge and has accused Russia of trying to throttle its services in order to force people to switch to a state-run app called MAX.

Additional Information

Exchange Rate

($1 = 80.9500 roubles)

Reporting Credits

(Reporting by ReutersEditing by Andrew Osborn)

Key Takeaways

Telegram fined 35 million roubles (~$432,366) for non‑removal of banned content (Interfax reported) (apnews.com)
This adds to a pattern: previous fines include 7 million roubles over extremist content and 4 million roubles for non‑compliance with Roskomnadzor orders (tass.com)
Authorities are increasingly pushing MAX, a state‑backed “super‑app” lacking end‑to‑end encryption and capable of surveillance, pre‑installed and promoted over Telegram and WhatsApp (techradar.com)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Russia fine the Telegram app?

Russia fined Telegram for failing to remove banned content from its platform, as reported by Interfax.

How much was Telegram fined by Russia?

Telegram was fined 35 million roubles, which is approximately $432,366.

What content did authorities accuse Telegram of hosting?

Authorities accused Telegram of being a platform for illegal and extremist content.

How did Telegram respond to the allegations?

Telegram rejected the charges and claimed Russia is trying to force users to switch to a state-run app.

What is the state-run app mentioned as an alternative to Telegram?

The state-run app mentioned by Telegram is called MAX.

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Russia fines Telegram app $432,366 for failing to remove banned content, Ifax reports

Russia Fines Telegram $432,366 for Failing to Remove Banned Content