Authorities in the Russian regions of Dagestan and Chechnya have moved to block Telegram, citing security concerns.

The decision was made after the messaging app was reportedly used by enemies to organise unrest, including the October 2023 anti-Israel riots at Makhachkala airport.

During these riots, protesters, spurred by Telegram channels, attempted to attack passengers arriving from Israel. Telegram condemned the attack and stated that it had blocked the related channels.

Dagestan's digital development minister, Yuri Gamzatov, stated that the decision to block Telegram came from the federal government. He acknowledged that Telegram might be unblocked in the future but encouraged users to switch to other messaging platforms in the meantime.

Telegram, which has nearly 1 billion users, has faced tensions with the Russian government before. Despite previous attempts by Moscow to block the platform, it remains widely used in Russia and other former Soviet republics.

Telegram did not respond immediately to requests for comment on the regional bans.