A new client for the messaging app Telegram named Telega has emerged in Russia. This application operates on the infrastructure of VK and the state messenger MAX, which are fully controlled by the Russian government. This information comes from the Center for Counteracting Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.
"Telega is being promoted as a way to bypass call restrictions. However, IT experts have found that the app actually operates under government control and is integrated into a digital surveillance system," the report states.
The application allows the government to censor channels, monitor correspondence, and collect personal data from users such as IP addresses, phone numbers, session durations, and call metadata. The program's code also revealed a VK API key and a 'blacklist' function that can be activated remotely. This indicates new tools for censorship and surveillance of citizens.
The Center notes that the Russian state has found a way to deceptively invade the smartphones of its citizens under the guise of 'bypassing censorship.' Russia is gradually building a 'digital concentration camp' where even attempts to maintain privacy can become traps.