Blocking of Telegram Domain: Reasons and Is the Messenger Still Accessible

The registrar temporarily suspended the domain name t.me, which is used by Telegram for short links. The decision may be related to international sanctions.

The domain t.me, important for the Telegram messenger, has been given Server Hold status, which prohibits it from responding to requests and effectively blocks its operation. The domain is a crucial element of Telegram’s operation, allowing users to access profiles, channels, and other resources in the format t.me/username.

The probable reason for the blockade is the sanctions against First VPN Service, which may have been used for illegal activities and came under sanctions by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control. Since early July 2026, the service is suspected of being involved in ransomware attacks and fraudulent schemes linked to Cuba. Earlier, in May, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine dismantled this network in Dnipro, resulting in the confiscation of over 30 servers and the arrest of the service administrator.

Despite the domain blocking, mobile and desktop versions of Telegram function without obstacles. Users can send and receive messages and use other features of the app. Meanwhile, the community discusses possible consequences of this event for Telegram’s operation in Ukraine and around the world.

The t.me domain is registered in the Montenegro national zone .me, which is also used as an international domain. The service is provided by the company Identity Digital, and the domain zone management is by an organization in Montenegro.

In September 2024, the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology conducted a survey among Ukrainians regarding the ban on Telegram. Most of the respondents favored limits and control over the messenger due to the spread of Russian propaganda in it.