If any technical details of that block and why it failed emerge, they would be fascinating reading. It also kind of makes one wonder if there's a non-technical reason why blocking it failed.
They tried to block all IP-addresses that Telegram app uses. It failed and many of other services also stopped working(Google, Github, Twitter, FB).
What Telegram did:
1. Started sending pushes from Google services with new IP addresses for their app.
2. They started using IPv6, turns out gov cannot detect them.
3. Also, they added support of SOCKS5 proxy to their app.
Real reason is simple: Russian government never actually tried to block it for real. Kremlin could easily force Apple and Google to block the application itself or it's push notification for Russian users, but they never did that.
Of course there was a lot of technical shenanigans going to block their IP addresses and proxy servers, but everyone understood that's is very fruitless attempt.
Oh and they fully unblocked it when Durov's TON network was destroyed by SEC in the US. Very soon after event Telegram official representative went to Kremlin and poof: Telegram is unblocked.
Thousands of essential services have stopped working and internet in the country came to a standstill for days. Many were pissed off and loosing money, including folks working for the government, so it was not tenable to continue.
Do you have any proof for the Kremlin visit is it as unsubstantiated as the rest of your post?
The point is: they never went through with this. They could easily pressure Google / Apple to comply, but they didn't. China pressured Apple to remove all kind of apps so it's very much doable.
> Thousands of essential services have stopped working and internet in the country came to a standstill for days. Many were pissed off and loosing money, including folks working for the government, so it was not tenable to continue.
They banned tons of IP subnets, but that's all. If they actually wanted Google / Apple to remove the app they could easily use different ways for that: e.g blocking Google Ads income, or making Apple / Google Pay services unlawful.
> Do you have any proof for the Kremlin visit is it as unsubstantiated as the rest of your post?
Vice president of the company was participating IT industry meeting with premier minister of Russia:
