Telegram's closure news prompted a response from Durov
In recent weeks, there has been a flurry of news and speculation surrounding Telegram's plans to open a representative office in Russia. However, a closer look at the facts reveals a more nuanced picture.
The false news about Telegram's office opening in Russia has been consistently debunked by various sources, including Pavel Durov, the creator of Telegram, and Dmitry Peskov, Russia's presidential press secretary. According to these sources, there are no plans for Telegram to open a branch or representation in Russia.
Telegram's built-in fact-checking service has played a role in addressing these false news reports. Pavel Durov, through his Telegram channel, has denied the rumours and shared his reaction to the ongoing misinformation.
The recurring false news about Telegram's office opening and shutdown suggests a persistent issue. This is not the first time such rumours have circulated, with previous instances being debunked.
The history of these conflicting reports can be traced back to Telegram's resistance to fully complying with Russian regulations on foreign IT companies. The "landing" and "data localization" laws, enacted in 2020 and 2021 respectively, require foreign IT companies with significant Russian users to establish a local presence and host user data within Russia.
Telegram had previously only fulfilled minimal steps such as posting feedback forms and registering accounts with Russian regulators, but without opening a local office or fully localizing data storage. This lack of transparency has fueled speculation and occasional false reports about the company's compliance status and intentions.
As of July 2025, Telegram has created an electronic form and registered an account on Roskomnadzor’s (Russia’s media regulator) website, which is part of the required compliance steps. The representative office opening process is officially in the coordination/approval stage according to Roskomnadzor. However, the exact timeline for when the office will be officially opened or registered remains unknown.
Pavel Durov has publicly disputed Roskomnadzor’s announcements about the opening of the office, suggesting that such reports might be part of a targeted campaign to discredit Telegram. The exact reasons for this alleged smear campaign are unclear.
In summary, while Telegram is formally in the regulatory process to open a Russian office, the timeline is unclear, and past communications from Telegram’s leadership have cast doubt on earlier announcements, reflecting a history of mixed messages and reports around compliance with Russian regulations.
Social-media rumors claiming Telegram's representative office is set to open in Russia persist, although Pavel Durov, the company's creator, and Dmitry Peskov, Russia's presidential press secretary, have repeatedly debunked such news. Telegram's entertainment side, the built-in fact-checking service, has been instrumental in debunking these false reports.
