One of the big reasons was also the fact that they failed to ban it. They could not enforce it at all, without blocking half of the websites, because of Telegram's clever networking shenanigans, so everyone was still been able to use it (without vpn or anything).
Even russian government officials have official Telegram channels. All the "news" sources quote Telegram channels all the time. All pro-gov celebrities and stuff.
It was not a ban, but a farce that made the regime look like incapable fools. Not that they are not, but they don't want to emphasize that so much. Not that they don't, but at least not make it that obvious. Not that it isn't, but...
Even russian government officials have official Telegram channels. All the "news" sources quote Telegram channels all the time. All pro-gov celebrities and stuff.
It was not a ban, but a farce that made the regime look like incapable fools. Not that they are not, but they don't want to emphasize that so much. Not that they don't, but at least not make it that obvious. Not that it isn't, but...