According to reports, the Telegram platform was fined 7 million roubles ($80,000) by a Moscow court for failing to take down content that called for terrorist attacks and involvement in demonstrations meant to topple the Russian government.
The court documents revealed that the platform failed to delete information and channels containing calls for extremist activities, including participation in protests aimed at overthrowing the Russian government and terrorist attacks on railway transport.
According to reports, the content in question contained exhortations to back Ukrainian forces and take part in anti-Russian activities.
The Dubai-based company Telegram, which was started by Russian businessman Pavel Durov, has not yet responded to the decision.
In recent years, the site, which is widely utilized in Russia, has come under increased scrutiny from Russian authorities.
Following his arrest in August 2024 and subsequent investigation into claims that Telegram was used for crimes like money laundering, fraud, and the dissemination of child sexual abuse content, Pavel Durov returned to Dubai in March after spending many months in France.
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Authorities in Russia are stepping up their efforts to regulate online platforms as part of a larger crackdown on dissent and anti-government activity, which includes these penalties.