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The debate over how Russian forces communicate on the battlefield has moved from tech forums into public argument. After months of restrictions on Telegram and the Kremlin’s push for a domestic replacement, outlets report that the government-backed app known as Max is now being discouraged for frontline use because it is not sufficiently secure. The dispute highlights a larger tension between the state’s drive for digital sovereignty and the tactical requirements of units operating in Ukraine.
Mediazona first reported that soldiers had been advised to stop using Max, while pro-war Telegram channels and commentators amplified the claim. This friction is occurring against a background in which federal regulators have been limiting Telegram functionality since summer 2026, creating operational headaches for users who rely on the app for fast, informal coordination.
What changed: throttling Telegram and promoting Max
Authorities began stepping up measures against Telegram in summer 2026, at first targeting features like video calls and later applying broader bandwidth constraints. News outlet RBC reported on February 10 that federal bodies had decided to further intensify throttling; users on that day experienced trouble loading media files. Official statements framed the restrictions as efforts to ensure compliance with Russian law and to protect the public, but critics interpret the actions as part of a broader campaign to push users toward a state-approved alternative.
The government’s answer has been to back the Max messenger, a platform presented as a national, secure alternative to foreign apps. Max has been bundled into wider efforts to create a domestic app ecosystem and was promoted as the logical option for citizens and institutions. However, the promotion of Max has not convinced everyone, particularly those who rely on quick, resilient messaging for operational coordination.
Why frontline users distrust Max
Multiple independent outlets and pro-war communities have relayed rumors that military leadership is advising personnel not to use Max because it lacks the necessary safeguards for combat scenarios. Channels such as the pro-war Fighterbomber conveyed these claims on February 22, poking fun at official promises of a “super-secure” national app that would allegedly replace informal battlefield communication. The underlying concern among users is that a state-backed messenger may be more traceable or vulnerable to interception, especially when compared to the ad hoc communications practices troops developed around Telegram.
Compounding the distrust, the Federal Security Service (FSB) has publicly warned that Ukrainian actors can intercept Telegram traffic in real time. That warning created parallel messaging from the Kremlin: some spokespeople insist they cannot imagine frontline command being conducted through a public messenger, while others maintain that troops use standard communications equipment and a domestically developed messaging solution. The discrepancy between public denials and grassroots reports feeds uncertainty.
Operational consequences and criticism
Pro-war commentators and some political figures have been outspoken. Sergey Mironov, leader of the nominal opposition party Just Russia, defended Telegram as the most reliable channel for troops and bluntly criticized those responsible for slowing access. Voices within paramilitary and volunteer networks say the throttling and the push to Max hinder their ability to coordinate logistics, share drone footage, and crowdsource supplies—tasks they describe as vital to battlefield operations.
Government responses and official lines
On February 18, Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadaev stated that, for the moment, authorities would not block Telegram at the front. Nevertheless, regulators continued to apply sequential restrictions elsewhere, arguing that such measures are necessary for law enforcement and public safety. The Defense Ministry reiterated that frontline units use official radio and communications systems and a “normal, domestically developed messenger,” underscoring the official narrative that state channels are adequate.
Broader implications for digital policy and security
This episode underscores a wider dilemma: the drive to build a closed, controllable domestic internet ecosystem—what officials call digital sovereignty—can clash with the fast-moving, user-driven practices that evolve in conflict zones. State-promoted apps like Max are intended to reduce reliance on foreign platforms, but if frontline users perceive them as insecure or impractical, adoption will lag. Meanwhile, throttling external platforms like Telegram can produce unintended risks, including gaps in situational awareness and slower information flows.
Ultimately, the controversy reveals the limits of a centrally planned migration to a national platform when end users face real security and reliability trade-offs. Whether Moscow can reconcile its regulatory ambitions with the operational realities on the ground remains uncertain, and the debate over Telegram and Max is likely to continue as both technical and political pressures evolve.