Ukrainian officials and military personnel to be banned using Telegram on work devices
Source: National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC)
Telgram kaput? Ukrainian civil servants, military personnel and workers in critical infrastructure companies are now banned to use use of the Telegram messenger on their work devices after Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council ruled the country needs to “counteract threats in a cyberspace’.
The meeting held on Friday was attended by key military, intelligence and national security chiefs like Kyrylo Budanov.
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligency agency claimed Russian intelligence services have access to the private communications and personal data of Telegram users.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine joined the chorus of the complaints arguing that Telegram is being used for “cyberattacks, phishing, spreading malicious software, tracking user geolocation, and even guiding missile strikes”.
“To mitigate these threats, a decision was made to ban the installation and use of Telegram on official devices belonging to state authorities, military personnel, security and defense workers, and critical infrastructure operators,” said the National Security and Defense Council in its statement.
The verdict though offered an exception for “individuals whose job responsibilities specifically require the use of this messenger”.
After the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine witnessed an unprecedented wave of private support for the army. Citizens, big businesses, charitable foundations, and international philanthropists began financing the country’s defense alongside state assistance provided by international partners. Estimates of total private contributions range from tens to hundreds of billions of hryvnias. However, determining the exact amount remains difficult. In many cases, companies combine military aid, humanitarian programs, tax payments, social spending, and employee support in their reporting.
Rinat Akhmetov’s military initiative, “Steel Front”, has delivered a batch of drones worth UAH 214 million to the 1st “Azov” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. This shipment is part of the Metinvest Group’s ongoing support for the unit in 2025.
On October 6, the Administrative Cassation Court within the Supreme Court of Ukraine continued hearing case No. 990/80/25, in which the fifth President and leader of the party “European Solidarity”, Petro Poroshenko, seeks to have Presidential Decree No. 81/2025 from February 12, 2025 — enacting sanctions by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) — declared illegal and annulled. The plaintiff claims the document was falsified and that the sanctions are a tool of political persecution of the opposition, contrary to international norms. Government representatives deny the allegations and insist their actions were lawful. Journalists of Bukvy were present at the hearing.
Rinat Akhmetov’s Metinvest Group has completed the construction of an upgraded underground NATO Role 2 hospital in one of the hottest sectors of the frontline. This is the second stabilization point established under the Steel Front initiative in cooperation with the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The new facility, funded by Metinvest with an investment of UAH 21 million, is more secure than the first one thanks to its deeper location underground (over 6 meters) and additional fortifications.
Five armored vehicles “Kozak” have received a new mission – thanks to the support of Metinvest, they have been upgraded to full-fledged command and staff vehicles. These upgraded vehicles are now operating on the front line.