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Telegram CEO Fights Russian Censorship Amid VPN Surge

2/13/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov condemned the Russian restrictions and vowed to resist censorship.
He criticized the Kremlin's justification as authoritarian and noted Telegram offers proxies, but high-quality VPNs are best for most users.
Reports show a surge in VPN use, including AmneziaVPN, to bypass restrictions.
Founder Mazai Banzaev warned the Kremlin aims to decouple Russia from the global internet.

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Story summary

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov condemned the Russian restrictions and vowed to resist censorship.
He criticized the Kremlin's justification as authoritarian and noted Telegram offers proxies, but high-quality VPNs are best for most users.
Reports show a surge in VPN use, including AmneziaVPN, to bypass restrictions.
Founder Mazai Banzaev warned the Kremlin aims to decouple Russia from the global internet.