MOSCOW, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Foreign intelligence services are able to see messages sent by Russian soldiers using the Telegram messaging app, Russia's minister for digital development Maksud Shadayev said on Wednesday, the Interfax news agency reported.
Telegram, one of the most popular messenger services in Russia, is widely used by Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, but is under pressure from the authorities who have imposed restrictions on it over what they say is its failure to delete extremist content.
"There are numerous indications that foreign intelligence agencies have access to the messenger's correspondence and are using this data against the Russian military," Shadayev was cited as saying.
Roskomnadzor, Russia's communications regulator, has said it is slowing down Telegram's service amid a wider crackdown on foreign-owned messengers who it says have failed to comply with Russian law.
The Kremlin confirmed last week that U.S. messenger app WhatsApp, owned by Meta Platforms META.O, has been completely blocked for failing to comply with local law, suggesting Russians turn to a state-backed "national messenger" - MAX - instead.
Critics say MAX is a surveillance tool. Russian authorities deny this.
(Reporting by Reuters, Writing by Felix LightEditing by Andrew Osborn)
