Telegram has overtaken WhatsApp to change into Russia’s hottest messaging instrument, the cellular operator Megafon stated on Monday, with Russians flocking to the service as Moscow restricts some digital providers.

WhatsApp proprietor Meta is embroiled in a Russian court docket case, with prosecutors in search of to label it an “extremist organisation”, and authorities have actively promoted Telegram as they’ve banned different international platforms equivalent to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Russia’s army operation in Ukraine has added gas to a simmering dispute between international digital platforms and Moscow.

Megafon, considered one of Russia’s 4 primary telecoms operators, stated its evaluation of cellular web visitors confirmed that Telegram’s share had jumped to 63 % within the first two weeks of March from 48 % within the first two weeks of February.

WhatsApp’s share dropped to 32 % from 48 %, Megafon stated.

The common Telegram person consumed 101 MB of information a day, in comparison with 26 MB for WhatsApp.

Founded by Russian Pavel Durov, Telegram has lengthy been a preferred information platform in Russia, with nearly all main media, authorities entities and public figures working content material channels.

“The popularity of the service has grown against the backdrop of restrictions on access to other messengers and social networks,” Megafon stated in a press release. “The service started actively growing on February 24.”

Russia despatched tens of hundreds of troops into Ukraine on February 24 in what it referred to as a particular operation to degrade its southern neighbour’s army capabilities and root out individuals it referred to as harmful nationalists.

Ukrainian forces have mounted stiff resistance and the West has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia in an effort to power it to withdraw its forces.

© Thomson Reuters 2022