In January 2026, Telegram became the most popular messenger in Russia, overtaking long‑time leader WhatsApp, according to Okkam’s calculations based on Mediascope data. The ranking counts users aged 12+ who accessed a mobile app or desktop web version at least once during the month. Telegram reached 95.978 million users, compared with 89.418 million for WhatsApp, while the domestic service Max ranked third with 73.728 million. A month earlier, in December 2025, WhatsApp was still ahead with 94.47 million users versus Telegram’s 93.637 million. 

However, February data already show shifting dynamics: Telegram’s audience slipped slightly by 286,000 to 95.692 million, WhatsApp’s user base dropped more sharply by 9.1 million to 80.301 million, and Max alone grew, climbing to 77.561 million users. Analysts believe continued throttling of Telegram could soon boost Max into first place.

source: forbes

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