If you read articles on Russian media websites, you might have noticed a paper airplane icon inviting you to follow the publication on Telegram. A lot of people writing in Russian use this relatively new app, so it can be a valuable tool for reading a variety of Russian news and commentary on social media.

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What’s Special About Telegram?

As you may already know, VK, formerly known as Vkontakte (Вконта́кте), is the most popular social network in Russia. This network was founded by Pavel Durov (Па́вел Ду́ров) in 2007. In 2014, Durov resigned as the CEO—according to him, he was pushed out due to his refusal to turn over user data to state security agencies.

In 2013, Durov and his brother launched a messaging app (приложе́ние) called Telegram. Because it offered encryption (шифрова́ние), Russian security agencies claimed that the app may be used by terrorists and demanded that the developers turn over the encryption keys. Telegram refused and was blocked in Russia in 2018, but remains popular and widely accessible despite the ban.

Apart from its private messaging feature, Telegram has public “channels” (кана́лы) you can follow (подписа́ться на кана́л, literally “subscribe”). I have found some of these channels quite interesting in terms of keeping up with new developments in the Russian language and opinions on various issues. It’s a subjective collection shaped by my interests and preferences, but I hope you find some of these resources informative and can use them as a starting point for discovering content that reflects your own interests.

Danilovsky Market, Moscow, Russia
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Russian Media and Opinion

Many Russian media outlets, from the state-run ones like Russia Today, to the opposition Meduza (Меду́за) or Dozhd (Дождь), have a presence on Telegram. Here are some that cover Russian and international news—the list is by no means exhaustive!

1. Сноб (Snob)—high-brow liberal magazine known for its commentary and columnists.
2. Алексе́й Ковалёв (Alexey Kovalev)—investigative journalist and mythbuster.
3. Mеду́за (Meduza)—Russian-language outlet headquartered in Latvia, focusing on current event and analysis.

Ararat. Yerevan City, Armenia
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Stories from Other Countries in Russian

Here are some channels that focus on what’s happening in other regions and countries and write about it in Russian.

4. DW (Deutsche Welle)—covers stories from Germany for a Russian “outsider” audience.
5. Баграмя́н 26 (Bagramyan 26)—a channel that reports news from Armenia. Unfortunately, neither Russian media nor those in Europe or the US cover this country a lot (readers from other regions, do chime in—do you hear about Armenia often?).
6. Белару́сь головно́го мо́зга (Belarus of the Brain)—talks about politics and society in Belarus.

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Science

I have also started reading a few science channels dedicated to areas from biology to astrology. No politics, only science. 🙂

7. Та́йны ко́смоса (Mysteries of Space)—features stunning images of celestial bodies and accessible descriptions of complex space phenomena.
8. Намочи́ Манту́ (Get Your PPD Wet)—the name of this channel comes from the dated medical advice to keep your tuberculosis skin test dry. The channel shares medical information and busts health myths.
9. Funscience—covers different scientific discoveries. This channel may be interesting for anyone wanting to pick up natural science vocabulary in Russian.

Of course, there are many more channels: travel, fashion, personal stories, feminism, education, self-help—you name it. Are there any you know of and follow? Is there any specific subject you would like to find a channel for?