Communication of State Authorities of Ukraine on Telegram in Conditions of Risks and Restrictions
Abstract
The article analyses the communication practices of Ukrainian government agencies in the Telegram messenger in the context of warfare. The relevance of the study is due to the rapid growth of Telegram's role in the Ukrainian information environment during Russia's full-scale invasion, as well as the public debate about its safety and appropriateness. Despite public criticism, numerous warnings from national and international experts, and official warnings from government agencies, Telegram remains one of the main tools of digital communication, including for the authorities themselves.
The study analyses recent publications and analytical reports, that cover information risks, low level of regulation of messengers, and the possibility of their abuse in the context of information security. The purpose of the article is to determine the scope, intensity and nature of the use of Telegram as an official communication tool of the Ukrainian public authorities. The objectives of the study include determining the level of institutionalization of the Telegram presence, analysing the activity of channels, audience coverage, and assessing the effectiveness of communication practices in view of existing limitations and risks.
The methodological basis was a quantitative content analysis of the Telegram channels of 29 authorities (central, local and specialized), which allowed us to identify patterns of activity, the intensity of content updates. The results of the study show a high level of presence of government agencies on Telegram (85.7 % have their own channels), but also reveal uneven activity and engagement, lack of common communication standards and common protocols for responding to information threats. The conclusions substantiate the need to develop a state policy on the use of messengers in public communication, the need to introduce crisis protocols, strengthen the verification of official channels, and clearly regulate interaction with digital platforms in a wartime.
Downloads
References
Arkhipova, Ye. O., & Dytyrenko, N. O. (2016). Efektyvna komunikatsiia mizh orhanamy derzhavnoi vlady ta hromadskistiu yak umova rozvytku demokratychnoho suspilstva [Effective communication between public authorities and the public as a condition for the development of a democratic society]. Investments: Practice and Experience, 1, 92–96. https://ktpu.kpi.ua/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/st-16_Dmitrenko_Grom.radi.pdf [in Ukrainian].
Azhnyuk, Y. (2023, March 29). Chomu Ukraina ne obmezhuie vykorystannia rosiiskoho dodatku Telegram? [Why Ukraine does not limit the use of the Russian app Telegram]. Ukrainska Pravda. https://www.pravda.com.ua/columns/2023/03/29/7395475/ [in Ukrainian].
Bulgakov, D. O. (2024). Comunikatsiina diialnist orhaniv vlady [Communication Activities of Government Authorities]. Political Life, 3, 29–38. https://doi.org/10.31558/2519-2949.2024.3.4 [in Ukrainian].
Criado, J. I., Sandoval-Almazan, R., & Gil-Garcia, J. R. (2013). Government Innovation through Social Media. Government Information Quarterly, 30(4), 319–326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2013.10.003
DataReportal. (2025). Digital 2025: Ukraine. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2025-ukraine [in Ukrainian].
Druck, V. V. (2017). Suchasni naukovi pidkhody shchodo doslidzhennia poniattia “komunikatsiia” v derzhavnomu upravlinni [Modern Scientific Approaches to the Study of the Concept of "communication" in Public Administration]. Public Administration: Improvement and Development, 4. http://www.dy.nayka.com.ua/?op=1&z=1062 (accessed: 08.05.2025) [in Ukrainian].
Dukach, Yu. (2023). Yak anonimni telehram-kanaly staiut dzherelom novyn dlia ZMI [How anonymous Telegram channels become news sources for the media]. Texty.org.ua. https://texty.org.ua/fragments/103467/yak-z-anonimni-telehram-kanaly-stayut-dzherelom-novyny-dlya-zmi/ [in Ukrainian].
Dukach, Yu. (2023, March 29). Ofitsiino personalni. U chomu poliahaie problema z ofitsiynymy telehram-kanalamy obladministratsii [Officially Personal: What is the problem with the official Telegram channels of regional administrations?] Texty.org.ua. https://texty.org.ua/articles/110908/oficijno-personalni-v-chomu-problema-z-oficijnymy-telehram-kanalamy-oda-ova/ [in Ukrainian].
Institute of Mass Information (2021). Public Attitudes to Media and Consumption of Different Types of Media 2021. USAID Internews Media Report 2021. https://imi.org.ua/upload/media/2021/11/17/61951144dc1fc-usaid-internews-media-report-2021-ukr.pdf [in Ukrainian].
Kaplan, A., & Haenlein, M. (2020). Rulers of the World, Unite! The challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence. Business Horizons, 63(1), 37–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2019.09.003
Mazur, V. H. (2011). Komunikatsii yak mekhanizm vzaiemodii derzhavnykh orhaniv vlady ta hromadskosti na rehionalnomu rivni [Communications as mechanism of co-operation of public organs of power and public at regional level]. Public Administration: Improvement and Development, 8. http://www.dy.nayka.com.ua/?op=1&z=313 (accessed: 08.05.2025) [in Ukrainian].
Mergel, I. (2019). Digital Service Teams in Government. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), 101389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2019.07.001
Presentation of the USAID-Internews survey "Ukrainian media, attitudes and trust in 2023". (2023, November 1). Detector Media. https://detector.media/infospace/article/218546/2023-11-01-prezentatsiya-sotsopytuvannya-usaid-internews-ukrainski-media-stavlennya-ta-dovira-u-2023-rotsi-video/ [in Ukrainian].
Sopina, O. A. (2020). Komunikatsiya v systemi derzhavnoho upravlinnia: teoretychnyi aspekt [Communication in Public Administration: Theoretical aspect]. Actual Issues in Public Administration, 20, 157–161. https://doi.org/10.32843/pma2663-5240-2020.20.28 (accessed: 08.05.2025) [in Ukrainian].
Telegram use: A new habit of Ukrainians during the war. (2025). Kantar. https://www.kantar.com/ua/inspiration/advertising-media/use-of-telegram [in Ukrainian].
Ukrainians increasingly rely on Telegram channels for news and information during wartime. (2025). Internews in Ukraine. https://internews.in.ua/news/ukrainians-increasingly-rely-on-telegram-channels-for-news-and-information-during-wartime [in Ukrainian].
Ukrainians named the most popular messengers. (2025, November 1). RBC-Ukraine. https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ukraintsy-nazvali-samye-populyarnye-messendzhery-1574687631.html [in Ukrainian].
Who has already abandoned Telegram? (2025). Kremlegram. https://kremlingram.org/ua/timeline/ [in Ukrainian].
Zaporozhets, V., & Opirskyi, I. (2024). Nebezpeka vykorystannia Telegram ta yoho vplyv na ukrainske suspilstvo [The danger of using Telegram and its impact on Ukrainian society]. Cybersecurity: Education, Science, Technology, 1(25), 59–78. https://doi.org/10.28925/2663-4023.2024.25.5978 [in Ukrainian].
