The antitrust regulator has introduced a transition period during which advertising on Telegram and YouTube will not be penalized.
Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) said it will not enforce penalties for advertising on Telegram and YouTube until the end of 2026, granting businesses time to adjust to new rules, according to the agency’s press service.
“Obviously, businesses need time to adapt to the new rules and redirect to other advertising channels. Therefore, a transition period until the end of 2026 is necessary for advertising on Telegram and YouTube, during which no liability measures will be applied for placing ads on these resources,”
the FAS said in a statement.
At the same time, the agency stressed that it will continue monitoring compliance with advertising laws on platforms that were previously restricted, including Instagram* and Facebook*, as well as VPN services, and will enforce penalties where necessary.
On March 5, the FAS said it had identified potential violations related to advertising integrations on Telegram, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, noting at the time that it would take action if grounds were established.
A ban on advertising on Telegram and YouTube would affect platforms that accounted for roughly 70% of the influencer marketing market by the end of 2025, according to Vasily Yashchuk, Creative division director at Kokoc Group. Telegram represented about 40% of ad budgets, while YouTube accounted for 30%. VK followed with a 15% share, and the remaining 15% was split among platforms such as TikTok, Rutube, Zen and Twitch.
Telegram is not officially blocked in Russia, but the communications and technology regulator Roskomnadzor has imposed measures that slow down its performance, with users reporting delays in loading media and chats.
*Instagram and Facebook are owned by Meta, which is designated as an extremist organization and banned in Russia.
Source: Vedomosti
