VPN blockade in Russia causes disruption in payment system - Telegram's founder
Photo: Telegram founder Pavel Durov (Getty Images)
Telegram founder Pavel Durov stated that attempts by Russian authorities to block VPNs caused a major disruption in the country's payment system, according to Reuters.
Durov noted that the blocking attempts did not achieve the results expected by authorities, but instead led to a widespread system failure.
"Russia's attempt to block Virtual Private Networks (VPN) triggered a problem with a domestic payment system," he emphasized.
Problems in the payment system created chaos for some consumers. For example, the Moscow metro temporarily allowed passengers through turnstiles without payment, and one regional zoo asked visitors to pay in cash.
In his statement, the Telegram founder also welcomed Russians back to the "digital resistance."
"Welcome back to the Digital Resistance, my Russian brothers and sisters. The entire nation is now mobilised to bypass these absurd restrictions," he concluded.
It is worth noting that Russian authorities are preparing to limit Telegram's operation within the country. Against this backdrop, the government is tightening control over the digital space while promoting the so-called national messenger MAX as an alternative to established services.
However, even within Russia's own system, the service is treated with distrust. Concerns include fears of total surveillance by the FSB, leading the new platform to be viewed more as a tool of control than a secure means of communication.
