Russia’s primary domestic security agency announced on Wednesday that Pavel Durov, the creator and proprietor of the messaging app Telegram, has been indicted for supporting terrorism and placed on an international wanted list. The accusations against Durov, who is originally from Russia but later relocated abroad, coincide with the Russian government’s crackdown on Telegram, a popular messaging application in the nation. This action is part of a broader campaign to tighten control over the internet by the Kremlin, which has escalated following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The Federal Security Service, also referred to as the FSB, issued a statement accusing Telegram’s management of neglecting to eliminate “numerous channels, chats, and bots” that are being utilized by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorists, and extremist groups to organize acts of sabotage, terrorism, mass violence, and cyber fraud within Russia. The FSB asserted that these activities led to “numerous human casualties.” Additionally, the agency alleged that Ukrainian security services employed a popular dating chatbot on Telegram to entice and recruit Russians for “sabotage and terrorist activities,” resulting in the detention of 46 chatbot users aged 12 to 22 across Russia since July 2025 for offenses such as assaulting law enforcement officers and arson.
Earlier this year, Durov disclosed that Russian authorities had launched a criminal inquiry against him. He accused them of fabricating excuses to restrict access to Telegram in an effort to curtail privacy rights and freedom of speech. If found guilty, Durov could potentially face a life sentence in Russia. Despite requests for comment, Telegram, which boasts over 1 billion users globally, remained silent. On its official website, a post featuring an image of Durov making an obscene gesture towards the camera was shared. Telegram states that the company is headquartered in Dubai, and Durov, who holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates, resides there as well.
Under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, Russian authorities have implemented various measures to regulate the internet. These include enacting restrictive laws, banning non-compliant websites and platforms, and enhancing technology for monitoring and controlling online traffic. Notably, several prominent social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X have been banned in Russia, while YouTube has been restricted. Messaging apps such as Signal and Viber are blocked, and access to WhatsApp and Telegram has been limited.
VK, a social media platform in Russia akin to Facebook, founded by Durov prior to Telegram, fell under the control of Kremlin-friendly entities. Although efforts were made to block Telegram between 2018 and 2020, they were unsuccessful. Despite the possibility of circumventing some restrictions using virtual private networks, many of these services are routinely blocked as well.
Concurrently, Russia actively promotes the national messaging app Max, which critics argue could serve as a surveillance tool. Max is promoted as an all-in-one platform for messaging, accessing government services online, making payments, and more. It openly states its willingness to share user data with authorities upon request, and experts note the absence of end-to-end encryption on the platform.
Durov has encountered legal troubles elsewhere. In 2024, he was arrested in Paris on charges related to illicit activities conducted through his platform, including drug trafficking and the dissemination of child sexual abuse content. Durov later returned to Dubai, criticizing the French authorities for their actions against him, which the Kremlin denounced as “selective.” Putin commented on the situation in September 2024, suggesting that similar actions should be taken against other platforms engaging in similar activities.
