--- title: "Gladkov closes 400,000-subscriber Telegram channel: Media report Kremlin pressure" description: "Former Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov has shut down his \"Nastoyashchiy Gladkov\" Telegram channel (approx. 400k subscribers) in favor of a new one. Media suggest Kremlin dissatisfaction." date: 2026-11-14T14:35:43.737Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/gladkov-closes-telegram-channel tags: [gladkov, belgorod, telegram, abkhazia, kremlin] author: "Alexander Buran, Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Gladkov closes 400,000-subscriber Telegram channel: Media report Kremlin pressure ![Vyacheslav Gladkov in a formal suit at a business meeting in a bright office](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/14/gladkov-otkazalsya-ot-telegram-kanala/gladkov-otkazalsya-ot-telegram-kanala-1.webp) ## Key Points - Gladkov announced on November 14 that he is shutting down the "Nastoyashchiy Gladkov" channel, which had over 400,000 subscribers. - He will move new content to the "Vyacheslav Gladkov" channel without providing specific reasons for the move. - According to Kommersant, the Kremlin was dissatisfied with his continued operation of a popular channel after his resignation. - Gladkov previously criticized the blocking of mobile internet, Roskomnadzor, and the Max messenger. Former Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, who has served as Russia's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to self-proclaimed Abkhazia since 2025, has announced the shutdown of his primary Telegram channel, "Nastoyashchiy Gladkov," which had over 400,000 subscribers at the time of the announcement. He shared this in a personal blog post on Saturday, November 14. According to Gladkov, he will publish all new messages on a separate channel called "Vyacheslav Gladkov," but he provided no public explanation for the decision. ### Switching to a new channel In his address to subscribers, Gladkov cited "the official duties vested in the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Abkhazia," indicating that he would continue his work on the new channel based on these obligations. The new resource had only a few thousand subscribers at the time of publication, significantly fewer than the previous one. Gladkov built the original "Nastoyashchiy Gladkov" channel while serving as governor of the Belgorod region, where he posted real-time updates on shelling and its consequences, earning him nationwide fame after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. ### Reasons: resignation and a "new role" Gladkov did not name direct reasons for abandoning the popular channel, but the Kommersant newspaper, citing its own sources, indicates that the Kremlin was unhappy that the former governor continued to run a channel with a large audience focused primarily on Belgorod residents. A source within the Presidential Administration previously stated that Gladkov "simply cannot understand his new role." In May 2025, media reports also suggested that the appointment as ambassador to Abkhazia was partly in Gladkov's own interest, though various career paths had been considered. ### Criticizing authorities via Telegram Gladkov had used his popular channel in recent months to criticize the authorities. In November 2026, when mobile internet was being disconnected in the Belgorod region due to drone attacks, he publicly criticized the decision. During a "Direct Line," Gladkov read out appeals from Belgorod residents demanding that Roskomnadzor be "put on trial" for the blocks. Furthermore, he repeatedly pointed out that it was impossible to organize push notifications regarding missile threats and drone attacks in the state-run messenger Max, unlike in Telegram. ### Conflict with security agencies According to sources from the outlet "Important Stories," Gladkov is in conflict with security officials from the FSB and the Ministry of Defense, and insiders even discussed the possibility of a criminal case being opened against him. Against this backdrop, the decision to close a channel with such a significant regional reach appears to be a step aimed at reducing public activity in a format previously used for direct criticism of federal structures. ### Context: Gladkov's path Vyacheslav Gladkov became widely known as the governor of the Belgorod region, a territory subjected to regular shelling and drone attacks during the conflict. His Telegram channel became one of the few sources where the regional head reported on the consequences of strikes in real time. Following his resignation as governor and appointment as ambassador to Abkhazia in 2025, his public role changed; however, according to media reports, maintaining his former level of publicity and the critical tone of his posts became a source of tension with the federal center, which likely formed the basis for the decision to switch channels. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Гладков отказался от своего канала на 400 тысяч подписчиков, в котором критиковал власти](https://www.dw.com/ru/gladkov-otkazalsa-ot-svoego-kanala-na-400-tysac-podpiscikov/a-79948038) - Primary source: Gladkov's statement on Nov 14, channel migration, Kommersant reports on Kremlin dissatisfaction, and criticisms of Max/Roskomnadzor. - [Вячеслав Гладков отказался от канала в Telegram на 400 тысяч подписчиков](https://vm.ru/news/1374092-vyacheslav-gladkov-otkazalsya-ot-kanala-v-telegram-na-400-tysyach-podpischikov) - Confirms Nov 14 date, statement content, June ambassadorship, and quote from Presidential Administration source. - [Вячеслав Гладков отказался от своего канала с 400 тысячами подписчиков](https://www.svoboda.org/a/vyacheslav-gladkov-otkazalsya-ot-svoego-kanala-s-400-tysyachami-podpischikov/33898512.html) - Confirms the decision, new channel, and Kommersant data; notes lower subscriber count for the new channel on Nov 14. - [Гладков отказался от канала с сотнями тысяч подписчиков](https://news.ru/society/eks-gubernator-belgorodskoj-oblasti-otkazalsya-ot-telegram-kanala) - Brief confirmation of the shutdown of the ~400k subscriber channel. ## FAQ ### What exactly did Vyacheslav Gladkov do? He announced the closure of his 400,000-subscriber Telegram channel "Nastoyashchiy Gladkov" and moved his updates to a new channel titled "Vyacheslav Gladkov." ### Did Gladkov explain why? No, he provided no public explanation, citing only his duties as ambassador to Abkhazia. ### Why do media connect this to the Kremlin? Kommersant cites sources claiming the Kremlin was unhappy with his continued high-profile activity, with one Presidential Administration source noting Gladkov "cannot understand his new role."