The arrest of maverick entrepreneur Pavel Durov has drawn global attention to the importance of his messaging app Telegram for Russian troops and propagandists as Moscow's war against Ukraine grinds into its third year.
Since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in 2022, Telegram, which has over 900 million active users, has emerged as a crucial platform used by pro-war bloggers to justify Moscow's invasion and sow disinformation in Ukraine and the West.
It is also used as a tool by Ukraine — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posts his nightly address on Telegram — although for Kyiv the app appears to lack the same military significance.
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