They tried to block Telegram before and Telegram staged a counter offensive with proxies that kept them online in Russia and made the Kremlin look like fools as they broke the Internet in some places trying to block Telegram.
AFAIK Telegram has much higher market share in Russia. Keep in mind it’s easier for an authoritarian to “flex” and block smaller fish.
They tried to block Telegram before and Telegram staged a counter offensive with proxies that kept them online in Russia and made the Kremlin look like fools as they broke the Internet in some places trying to block Telegram.
AFAIK Telegram has much higher market share in Russia. Keep in mind it’s easier for an authoritarian to “flex” and block smaller fish.