Evening Medusa

April 13th. Telegram banned in Russia

Moscow's Tagansky Court has ruled to block Telegram, the world's most famous tech company with ties to Russia. It's like Facebook or Amazon being banned in the US. As if the European Union banned Skype or Spotify. As if Belarus banned World of Tanks and Maps.me.

Telegram blocking is an attack on what the country should be proud of.

The “national treasure” in Russia is not Gazprom, which calls itself that, but Telegram. How many Russian companies do we know that emerged during Putin's third term and became a global sensation? How many Russian companies have succeeded abroad without taking a dime from the state budget and without selling natural resources?

Telegram blocking is a blow to the Russian economy.

The Russian state should have made Pavel Durov its main ally, but instead declared it an enemy. Thanks to Durov, we have VKontakte, a social network that never gave up under the pressure of Facebook (are there many such places left on earth?). Pavel Durov became the hero of a generation, an ideal role model, one of the most famous Russians - and known only from the best side.

Telegram blocking is a blow to our future.

Edition of Meduza