Eight out of the ten most popular Telegram channels in Ukraine post commercial ads for well-known brands as well as posts bearing the hallmarks of mudslinging targeting politicians and businessmen, an August 2026 study by the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) found.

IMI analysed 3,529 posts across the ten Telegram channels with the largest subscriber count in the Ukrainian segment according to Telemetrio. The monitoring covered the period from 27 July through 2 August 2026.

The experts found that:

  • all 10 Telegram channels reviewed posted content that was likely commissioned;
  • 9 out of 10 posted positive commercial or image-building advertising;
  • 9 out of 10 posted material with negative messaging or bearing the hallmarks of mudslinging;
  • 7 out of 10 deleted the commissioned posts later;
  • only 4 out of 10 channels labelled the commissioned material as such.

IMI found the feeds of these Telegram channels to feature advertising for major companies such as Rozetka, Comfy, Novus, OKKO, SOCAR, Coca-Cola, Kyivstar, and businesses owned by Rinat Akhmetov, alongside posts bearing the hallmarks of commissioned media attacks.

The individuals and companies mentioned in such posts included volunteer Serhiy Sternenko, former Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, businessman Oleksandr Konotopskyi, and the company Ajax. IMI also recorded content with negative messaging about Petro Poroshenko, Yaroslav Zhelezniak, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, and Pavlo Yelizarov.

IMI experts believe that this practice may create reputational risks for advertisers. Ads for a well-known brand posted alongside mudslinging content can can negatively impact the company’s image in the audience’s eyes.

Experts therefore advise businesses to assess not just the channel’s outreach, but also the content that appears alongside the ads when considering buying advertising on a Telegram channel.

IMI also recommends that advertisers pay attention to high-quality media outlets included in the High Quality List and the Map of Recommended Media. These news outlets adhere to professional standards, are accountable to their audience, and do not build their work on manipulation and fake news.

By placing advertising with such media outlets and on their digital platforms, businesses not only access their audience, but also support high-quality journalism and show consistency with their own values.

Earlier, the company ATB became the first major business to publicly announce they were terminating cooperation with the Telegram channel Trukha over reputational risks. Citrus, Yabko, and Foxtrot later pulled their ads from the channel as well.

IMI’s monitoring covered the top 10 Telegram channels in the Ukrainian segment according to Telemetrio: Trukha Ukraine, Times of Ukraine: Novyny | Ukraina, INSIDER UA | Ukraina | Novyny, Realna Viyna | Ukraina | Novyny, Ukraina Online: Novyny | Polityka, Realnyi Kyiv | Ukraina, NOVYNA, Ukraina Seychas | US: Novyny, Polityka, Ukraina 24/7 – Novyny, and Advokat Prava. The analysis covered 3,529 posts made between 27 July through 2 August 2026.