MOSCOW – The creator of messaging app Telegram pointed fingers at Russian authorities Saturday, claiming their efforts to shut down Virtual Private Networks caused widespread disruptions to the country’s payment infrastructure.
Pavel Durov stated that Russia’s crackdown on VPNs resulted in significant problems for domestic financial transactions, with tens of millions of citizens now pushing back against government digital restrictions.
Friday’s technical failures created widespread confusion for consumers across Russia. Moscow’s subway system was forced to open its gates and allow passengers to enter without paying, while at least one regional zoo had to request that visitors pay only with physical currency.
Writing on his own platform, Durov criticized the government’s actions. “Their blocking attempts just triggered a massive banking failure,” he posted. “Welcome back to the Digital Resistance, my Russian brothers and sisters. The entire nation is now mobilised to bypass these absurd restrictions.”
