Telegram Overtakes WhatsApp As Top Messaging App In Russia

Synopsis – The development is reported amidst the Russia-Ukraine conflict where Russia is facing a wave of criticism and restrictions for invading Ukraine and getting back with counter restrictions and has increased surveillance on international websites and platforms.

Russian cross-platform, cloud-based, instant messaging app Telegram has overtaken its United States (US) rival WhatsApp as the country’s top messaging app. The country’s mobile operator MegaFon has made the revelation as Telegram has become the go-to service amidst the restrictions on several sites of US and ally countries by the Russian Government.

The development is reported amidst the Russia-Ukraine conflict where Russia is facing a wave of criticism and restrictions for invading Ukraine and getting back with counter restrictions and has increased surveillance on international websites and platforms.

Interestingly, the Russian Government has already banned Facebook and Instagram, and recently a court in the country found Meta (owner company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) guilty of ‘extremist activity’ in the country. However, the ruling wasn’t supposed to affect the services of WhatsApp.

According to the reports, the court has given a statement to the press alleging Meta of turning blind eyes and tolerating ‘Russophobia’ while the country’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

The media reports suggest that MegaFon’s analysis has shown Telegram’s shares rising to 63% in the two weeks of March and it recorded a 48% rise in February’s first two weeks. Meanwhile, the data shows a dip in WhatsApp shares from 48% to 32%. The analysis also mentioned that on average a Telegram user consumed 101 MB of data while on the other hand, a WhatsApp user consumed 26 MB of data.

As per the statement by MegaFon which is among Russia’s top four telecom operators, the popularity of services provided by Telegram has grown heavily amid the restrictions on other messaging and social media platforms. It added that the service started to see significant growth on February 24.

Reportedly, Telegram has been a popular news platform in the country that almost has all of the major media, government entities, and public figures out there operating their own content channels. Telegram was founded by Nikolai Durov and Pavel Durov in 2013.

Notably, Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 after a series of events that led to a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict that started in the year 2014. Until now the invasion has resulted in thousands of deaths and massive destruction of Ukraine.

The geopolitical crisis has divided the world into two groups that are backing either Russia or Ukraine while discussing possibilities of escalation of war as it is now affecting markets, businesses and leading to price hikes of necessary and daily use items.