Russia Accuses Durov of Facilitating Terrorism

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism over allegations the messaging app has been used for recruitment by Ukrainian secret services, according to the BBC. The FSB stated that Telegram had failed to remove channels, chats, and bots used by Ukraine to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terror within Russia.

Arrest Warrant Issued for Durov

An international arrest warrant has been issued for the Russian-born Durov, who currently lives abroad. Shortly after the charge was announced, Telegram’s account on X posted an image of Durov holding up his middle finger, a response that has become common in the past when he criticizes Russian authorities for what he claims are fabricated pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram.

Background on Durov and Telegram

Pavel Durov, a multi-billionaire, is 41 years old and has lived outside of Russia for many years. He holds French and United Arab Emirates (UAE) passports. Durov left Russia in 2014 after refusing to comply with government demands to shut down opposition communities on the platform. Before founding Telegram, he co-founded the Russian social media company VKontakte, often referred to as the ‘Facebook of Russia.’

Telegram is used by around 950 million people worldwide and has positioned itself as an app focused on user privacy, distinguishing itself from the normal policies of other global social media companies. Despite this, the platform has previously faced criticism over its app moderation practices, which Durov has denied being insufficient.

Durov was arrested and placed under formal investigation in France in 2024 over allegations of failure to properly moderate the app to reduce criminality. He was allowed to go home months later, with the investigation continuing. The Russian charge comes as Moscow tries to restrict the use of Telegram and other popular messaging apps, such as WhatsApp, while promoting its own state-backed MAX messenger service. Experts warn that MAX, which openly declares it will share user data with authorities upon request, does not use end-to-end encryption that ensures messages remain private.

Russia’s government has also blocked social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram while increasing restrictions on services like YouTube. Durov, who was born in Russia but now holds Emirati and French passports, co-founded Telegram in 2013. Before that, he launched VKontakte before selling his remaining stake in 2014 amid pressure from Russian authorities. Durov claimed he had been under coercion to give Russian authorities access to data from accounts of Ukrainian pro-democracy activists in 2014 – and that he refused to do so.

Earlier this year, Durov announced that the Russian authorities had opened a criminal investigation against him and accused them of fabricating pretexts to restrict access to Telegram as part of an attempt to ‘suppress the right to privacy and free speech.’ In addition to the Russian investigation, Durov faces a legal probe in France over allegations that Telegram failed to adequately counter criminal activity on the platform and did not sufficiently cooperate with law enforcement requests. Durov denies wrongdoing.

Durov has maintained a hands-off stance on moderation, positioning the app as private and free of censorship. Nonetheless, some experts have cautioned that this approach has led to Telegram becoming a hotspot for illicit activity and extremism. It is unclear whether other countries or authorities would comply with an arrest warrant issued by Russia.