(Adnkronos) – The Ukrainian Parliament has decided to limit the use of the Telegram messaging network among its employees for security reasons, a measure that several government offices have already imposed for weeks, on the suspicion that Russia is using this application to steal data and carry out attacks.
The deputy and chairman of the parliamentary committee on freedom of expression, Yaroslav Yurchishin, explained on Telegram that the decision was based on the advice of the security services. “I think the measures are quite logical. Unfortunately, there have already been examples of state employees who have obtained data through Telegram. With this request we minimize the risks”.
Similarly, he clarified that these restrictions only apply to company mobile and telephone devices, not personal ones. The restrictions concern the blocking of accounts and computers once work is finished, or the prohibition on transferring information to personal devices or installing official profiles on personal computers and devices. At the end of September, the National Security Council of Ukraine announced that government officials, military personnel and employees of infrastructure companies considered critical will not be able to have the Telegram messaging application installed on their phones for security reasons.
The authorities have warned that Russia is using Telegram as a tool to carry out cyber attacks, spread viruses or geolocate its users. The information obtained would also make it possible to adapt any attacks on the main combat zones.
