A customer pays in cash for a new iPhone in Moscow. Photo: EPA / SERGEI ILNITSKY
Users registered with Telegram under a Russian number received a message from the app on Tuesday offering them the chance to purchase a two-year Telegram Premium subscription “while the opportunity is still available”, as the Russian authorities continue their progressive crackdown on the use of foreign tech platforms.
“In the near future, it may become technically impossible to subscribe to Telegram Premium in your region,” the message from the hugely popular Dubai-based app read. “Today is your last chance.”
Though he made no mention of the Premium subscriptions, Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov, did criticise Apple for complying with requests made by Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor to remove dozens of VPN apps from its Russian App Store. Durov described “targeting those that helped users bypass Russia’s DPI-based censorship” as “not cool, Apple”.
Roskomnadzor began restricting calls to Telegram in mid-2025 as part of a “fight against fraud”, and in late February plans to completely block the messaging app in Russia from 1 April were revealed.
On Monday, RBC reported that Russia’s Digital Development Ministry had instructed the country’s “big four” telecoms providers to block people making payments for Apple services via their phones on 1 April, citing the need to prevent VPN services being purchased via the US tech giant. As a result, Russian customers will no longer be able to update their Apple ID balances.
In March 2022, Apple suspended all sales and deliveries of devices to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. Since then, users in Russia have only been able to top up their App Store, iCloud and Apple Music accounts via their mobile phone bills or by using gift cards.
The Digital Development Ministry said that the restrictions could force Apple to restore its Russian services on the App Store. “Temporary restrictions by operators may prompt the tech company to comply with Russian legislation, as the lost revenue would otherwise be too great,” a ministry source told Interfax.
