In an interview with the BBC, the head of the GUR, Kyrylo Budanov, said that Telegram is a serious problem for the country and called for the adoption of a law on the registration of Telegram channel owners.  

"Or, as they say, to organize it all - to put things in order, at least to force everyone to register by law, so that it is clear who is behind which media resource, and Telegram has definitely acquired the status of a media outlet. There is no question of influence or pressure - this is not the issue. If you want to prove your position - and someone may not like it, and this is normal in a democratic society - you have to take responsibility. Why are you afraid to say who you are?" - Budanov said.

The head of the GUR admits that anonymous Telegram channels can be blocked, but he does not consider it a solution to the problem. He is convinced that they should be forced to register.

"This will not be pressure on the press. In a democratic society, I repeat, you can't just put pressure... Why am I even telling you this? You are a representative of journalism. Would you be very happy if someone came to you and said: that's it, from now on, from this day on, you write like this? Of course, it would be abnormal. But to be afraid to say that you are this is also wrong. And on behalf of an anonymous person to broadcast, I'm sorry, everything that will be paid for from completely different parts of the world is also abnormal," Budanov said.

He noted that intelligence officers in his department are prohibited from using Telegram and other social networks.