Telegram overtakes WhatsApp as top messaging app in Russia

Telegram has surpassed WhatsApp to become Russia's top messaging application, the mobile operator Megafon announced on Monday.

Megafon said the use of Telegram in Russia has increased rapidly since Feb. 24, when Russia launched a "war in Ukraine.

The share of Telegram in the total messaging traffic rose from 43% to 63% in the first two weeks of March.

WhatsApp's share, meanwhile, dropped from 48% to 32% in the same period.

Earlier, Meta, which is the parent company of WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, announced that it would allow violent messages against Russians supporting the war in Ukraine and Russian soldiers participating in the war.

Following this development, access to Instagram and Facebook has been banned in Russia.