The National Coordination Center for Cybersecurity of Ukraine has decided to restrict the use of Telegram in government agencies and critical infrastructure facilities.
Updated with a comment from the Telegram press service: “Telegram has never provided any messaging data to any country, including Russia. Deleted messages are deleted forever and are technically impossible to recover. Every instance of supposed “leaked messages” Telegram has investigated has been the result of a compromised device, whether through confiscation or malware”.
On September 19, the NCCC held a meeting that brought together representatives of key government agencies and law enforcement agencies of Ukraine. The participants included the heads of the State Special Communications Service, the National Police, the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the Security Service, the Ministry of Defense, the NBU, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, intelligence agencies, and electronic communications regulators.
Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, emphasized the need for joint efforts to counter cyber threats. The main topic of discussion was the national security risks associated with the use of Telegram during the war with Russia.
Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, provided evidence of Russian intelligence services’ access to Telegram users’ private messages, including deleted ones, and their personal data. He emphasized that the Telegram issue is not about freedom of speech, but about national security.
Representatives of the Security Service of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the enemy actively uses Telegram for cyberattacks, spreading phishing, establishing the geolocation of users and adjusting missile strikes.
The NCCC has banned the installation and use of Telegram on the official devices of government officials, military personnel, employees of the security and defense sector, and critical infrastructure enterprises. The only exceptions will be those for whom the use of the messenger is part of their official duties.
The participants also discussed measures to ensure stable operation of mobile communications and the Internet under martial law. They supported the creation of an industry center for the exchange of information on cyber threats based on the European ISAC model. In addition, they decided to ensure continuous operation of electronic communication networks during power outages.
The NCCC adopted a number of decisions to develop cybersecurity in Ukraine. These include the launch of a national initiative to strengthen the role of women in cybersecurity and the introduction of the CyberTracker automated platform to monitor the implementation of the Cybersecurity Strategy of Ukraine.