Telegram Has a Plumber and a Pinger But Few Know
January 12, 2026
While reviewing research notes, the author of the “Telegram Labyrinth” spotted an interesting connection between Telegram and a firm with links to the Kremlin. A now-deleted Reuters report alleged that Telegram utilizes infrastructure linked to the FSB. The provider is Global Network Management (GNM), owned by Vladimir Vedeneev, a former Russian Space Force member with a Russian security clearance. Vedeneev’s relationship with Pavel Durov dates back to the VKontakte era, and he reportedly provided the networking foundation for Telegram in 2013.
Vedeneev maintains access to Telegram’s servers and possessed signatory authority as both CEO and CFO for Telegram. He also controls Electrotelecom, a firm servicing Russian security agencies. While Durov promises user privacy, Vedeneev’s firms provides a point of access. If exercised, Russia’s government agencies could legally harvest metadata via deep packet inspection. Registered in Antigua and Barbuda, the legal set up of GNM provides a possible work-around for EU and US sanctions on some Telegram-centric activities. GNM operates with opaque points of presence globally, raising questions about its partnerships with Google, Cloudflare, and others.
Stephen E Arnold hypothesizes that Telegram and GNM are tightly coupled, with Durov championing privacy while his partner facilitates state surveillance access. Political backing likely protects this classic “man in the middle” operation possible. If you want to read the complete article in Telegram Notes, click this link.
Kent Maxwell, January 12, 2026
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