(MOSCOW) – Vladimir Solovyov, a prominent media figure for the Kremlin, has publicly aired grievances regarding the systematic slowing of the Telegram messaging application within the Russian Federation. During his radio broadcast, Full Contact, the commentator highlighted a significant decline in his digital viewership, attributing the loss of approximately 1.3 million viewers to state interference with the platform. Solovyov noted that his live stream audience has plummeted from historical highs of 1.4 million to fewer than 4,000 concurrent users.
The Russian dictator has overseen increasing digital censorship, yet the move against Telegram appears to have inconvenienced even his most loyal mouthpieces. Solovyov questioned the lack of viable alternatives, criticising the state endorsed platform, Maks, for its technical deficiencies. He observed that the domestic application currently lacks video streaming capabilities and fails to function correctly on tablet devices.
Of particular concern to the broadcaster is the reliance of the Russian military on Telegram for battlefield communications. Solovyov suggested that the absence of a secure, functional domestic transition could jeopardise frontline coordination. He further questioned the logic of disabling mobile internet during aerial threats, noting that such measures have failed to prevent successful strikes against Russian infrastructure. The segments concluded with a typical call for harsh reprisals, suggesting that financial professionals involved in capital flight should be sent to labour camps in Siberia.
