We’ll continue to monitor Telegram activity in the weeks ahead.”Ĭheck Point said that some of these groups – particularly those used by hacktivists – already boast more than 250,000 users. Right now, we’re sharing what we see on Telegram and our initial observations.

There’s a side on Telegram looking to take advantage of supporters of either Ukraine or Russia. Vanunu added: “I strongly recommend people to watch their Telegram activity closely and the types of people you may come in contact with. And other groups are requesting funds to either support Ukraine or commit fraud.” Other groups are serving as information and news hubs to report a raw side of the war. “Some groups are coordinating cyber attacks to target Russia. “We’re seeing people from all corners of the world organising themselves and resources to support either Russia or Ukraine. “Telegram has become a digital forefront of the conflict, where people are choosing sides online,” said Oded Vanunu, Check Point’s head of products vulnerabilities research. It said 71% of these groups were pushing newsflashes of unedited information, 23% were to some extent organising direct action against Russian targets by hacktivists, and 4% were soliciting cryptocurrency donations for Ukraine. According to monitoring by Check Point Research, on Thursday 24 February – the day the invasion began – there was a sixfold increase in Telegram groups themed on the war.

Russian telegram