Telegram is not banned in Russia in the same way YouTube isn't. They fight it by attempting to decrease service quality, prompting users to switch platforms. In last few months connectivity without VPN degraded noticeably.
It just happens that since it's official ban (2018-2020) telegram evolved to be pretty resilient to blocking, and it's easier to declare "yeah we signed a deal with Durov he works with us now, unbanned" than look like fools while blocking 1% of all IPv4 addresses (im not kidding) with no result.

Not true. There was a period it wasn't possible to use Telegram without VPNs. That's in the past.

What shows their alignment best is that Russian state propaganda feels right at home in TG, while counterpropaganda channels from time to time get banned without explanation.

YouTube just plainly doesn't work in Russia, its pages load, videos don't.

The reason they say stuff about "degrading caching servers" and whatever other bullshit they say is to reduce visibility of their actions from the general population. It's smart, not stupid. I thought it's dumb that they always lie this way, until I realized that most of said lie sticks subconsciously, and the saved expenses at controlling the population add up. It's like saving every dime being virtuous in the Protestant approach to life.

They could ban it completely.

than look like fools while blocking 1% of all IPv4 addresses (im not kidding) with no result.

They did look like fools, but the "no result" part is just not true, the result was achieved. Telegram didn't evolve, it works the same as before, a typical client-server application.

That's the only important advantage over anything else.

Telegram is not banned in Ukraine either. There also are no Ukrainian sections against the founder.

I also did not call him a fighter against the regime. You have a vivid imagination.

Russia tried blocking Telegram once but Telegram relies on AWS and Google Cloud, so the blocking attempt backfired, leading to half the internet unusable in Russia, leading to quick back paddling by the Kremlin.

Since Telegram is not banned in either country, it's the best source for unfiltered news from the front.

Likely because Telegram pointing out that xAI is paying them instead of the other way around is hugely embarrassing.

Yeah it's pretty much unclear

It wasn't "half the internet unusable". I live in Russia, please stop dramatizing.

It was blocked well enough, but Russian state officials had their unofficial channels there for all that time.

Considering "the founder's" history, I'd assume Telegram to be Russian government-compromised by default.

Also it's not a source of news at all. That's like calling "the Internet" your source. It's a crowd. Some channels are better than others, but ultimately it can be compared to Facebook.

It wasn’t “half the internet unusable”.

Everything behind the same AWS and Google IPs which is a lot.

I live in Russia

So you pay taxes to Putin. Good to know who actually helps funding the regime.

So you pay taxes to Putin. Good to know who actually helps funding the regime.

I suggest you go someplace else.

I won't take this from a jerk from likely one of the countries buying fossil fuels from said regime, that have also supported it after a few falsified elections starting in 1996, which is also the year I was born.

And of course "paying taxes to Putin" can't be even compared to what TG is doing, so just shut up and go do something you know how to do, like I dunno what.