Russia charges Telegram founder Durov with aiding terrorism, issues arrest warrant
Russian authorities have formally charged Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app Telegram, with facilitating terrorism. The charges stem from allegations that the platform has been used by Ukrainian secret services to recruit individuals for acts of sabotage and terror inside Russia.
The Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia's domestic security agency, stated that Telegram had been utilised to prepare and coordinate such activities. The FSB also accused Durov of failing to remove channels, chats, and bots allegedly employed by Ukraine. As a result, an international arrest warrant has been issued for Durov, who was born in Russia but currently resides abroad.
In response, Telegram's official account on X (formerly Twitter) posted an image of Durov holding up his middle finger. Durov has previously accused Russian authorities of fabricating pretexts to restrict access to Telegram within the country.
Telegram remains popular in Russia, with tens of millions of users, despite ongoing restrictions by authorities as part of a broader crackdown on internet freedom. The app is also widely used in Ukraine.
Durov, 41, is a multi-billionaire who has lived outside Russia for many years. He holds French and United Arab Emirates (UAE) passports. It remains uncertain whether other countries will comply with the arrest warrant issued by Russia.
Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on the platform. He had previously founded VKontakte, a popular Russian social media company often referred to as the 'Facebook of Russia.'
Telegram serves approximately 950 million users worldwide. The platform has positioned itself as a privacy-focused alternative to other global social media companies, which typically prioritise content moderation. Telegram has faced criticism over its moderation practices but has denied having insufficient policies.
In a separate incident in 2024, Durov was arrested in France and placed under formal investigation over allegations of failing to adequately moderate the app to reduce criminal activity. He was released months later, with the investigation ongoing.
