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Society & Migration No. 064
Updated Mar 23, 2026

How Russia Weaponised Telegram Against Baltic Democracies

Encrypted messaging apps have become the primary vector for coordinated disinformation in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The invisible front

Why Telegram is different

Unlike Facebook or X, Telegram offers encryption, minimal content moderation, and the ability to broadcast to unlimited audiences without algorithmic filtering. Channel administrators cannot be identified without Telegram cooperation, which the company has historically refused to provide to European governments. This makes it the perfect infrastructure for state-sponsored information warfare.


Moderator · Defense Correspondent

Senior editor and moderator at Portal. Specialises in European defence policy and Baltic security. Former correspondent for LRT.