London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Sep 12, 2025

Telegram becomes 'digital forefront' of Russia-Ukraine war, where people choose sides: researchers

Telegram becomes 'digital forefront' of Russia-Ukraine war, where people choose sides: researchers

Groups of users on Telegram discussing the war are peaking at 200,000 users per group

Encrypted messaging app Telegram has become the "digital forefront" of the Russia-Ukraine war, according to cybersecurity researchers.

The app, which allows users to partake in group conversations and send direct messages that cannot be traced by third parties, has also become a hub of misinformation, Check Point Research (CPR) said in a report published Thursday.

"Telegram has become a digital forefront of the conflict, where people are choosing sides online," Oded Vanunu, head of products vulnerabilities research at Check Point, said in a statement. "We’re seeing people from all corners of the world organizing themselves and resources to support either Russia or Ukraine."

The icon of the Telegram app on a smartphone. 


Some groups on Telegram, which do not have end-to-end encryption, are "coordinating cyberattacks to target Russia," while others "are serving as information and news hubs to report a raw side of the war" and "requesting funds to either support Ukraine or commit fraud," Vanunu said.

"All in all, we’ve seen a [six]-fold surge in Telegram groups themed on the Russia-Ukraine war the day Russia invaded Ukraine. I strongly recommend people to watch their Telegram activity closely and the types of people you may come in contact with," Vanunu said. "There’s a side on Telegram looking to take advantage of supporters of either Ukraine or Russia."

Groups of users on Telegram discussing the war have grown by "a few hundred-folds daily" on the app, peaking at 200,000 users per group, according to CPR.

Some fraudsters are using emotions surrounding the crisis to their advantage in asking for funds for the Ukrainian people. CPR suspects the requests and groups organizing such requests are fraudulent.

Telegram users asking for cryptocurrency donations for Ukraine.


About 4% of the groups on Telegram that CPR observed "are geared toward donations to support a side of the current conflict, many of which are suspicious," the report states.

Russian cyberattack groups are also growing by the day to more than 250,000 users per group. Cyberattackers on Telegram are pointing to Russian targets. About a quarter of Telegram groups CPR observed try to get IT professionals, hackers and other tech experts to unite in their attacks against Russian individuals and websites.

Telegram hackers targeting Russian individuals


Additionally, about 71% of the groups CPR investigated "are dedicated to news around the current conflict," much of which is not verified by real news sources. These groups sharing different versions of news … have increased significantly over the past two weeks. CPR noted that unverified "news" is "a form of psychological weapon, used to demoralize and influence morals."

Telegram did not immediately respond to an inquiry from FOX Business.

CPR suggests that users who do not want to fall subject to scams avoid clicking on unfamiliar links, beware of suspicious requests, avoid sending money to unknown sources and only consume news from trusted sources.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
×