In a recent update, messaging app Telegram has reinstated access to several chatbots employed by Ukrainian security agencies to gather information regarding Russia’s military activities, following a brief suspension period. This information was shared by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security in its recent statement on Monday.
Telegram blocked a collection of official bots, including the main intelligence bot of the Main Intelligence Directorate (MID) – referred to as the GUR in Ukraine, which were seen to be opposing Russia’s military hostilities against Ukraine. A representative from Telegram later confirmed with Reuters that the bots had been “temporarily disabled due to a false positive but have since been reinstated.” The motives behind the temporary block remain unclear.
The Freedom of Russia volunteer legion also brought to light that their bots on Telegram were blocked. The group, made up of defected members of the Russian Armed Forces and other Russians and Belarusians supporting Ukraine, emerged as a component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in March 2022 to protect Ukraine from Russian invasion during the ongoing conflict.
The use of Telegram has significantly increased among Ukrainian citizens, military officials, and authorities since Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine commenced in February 2022. It is being employed primarily to share critical news and threats like air raid alerts.
In other related news, a new draft law was registered by the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s Parliament, in March. The proposed law, “On amendments to certain laws of Ukraine regarding the regulation of the activities of information sharing platforms through which mass information is disseminated,” aims to regulate the operations of Telegram within Ukraine’s borders. Ukrainian intelligence agencies had previously expressed their concerns over the perceived cooperation between Telegram and the Russian security services. The bill, as it stands now, is yet to be adopted or rejected.