Russia's Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and placed the billionaire on an international wanted list. The agency issued an international warrant for the 41-year-old's arrest, alleging that the messaging platform has been used to coordinate deadly attacks and sabotage across Russia.
The FSB claims that Telegram has failed to remove numerous channels, chats, and bots actively used by terrorist and extremist organizations, as well as Ukrainian intelligence agencies. According to the agency, these tools have been employed to prepare and coordinate acts of mass murder, cyberfraud, and sabotage operations within the country.
Durov, who holds French and UAE passports and lives outside Russia, has called the case politically motivated. He accused Russian authorities of fabricating pretexts to restrict access to Telegram as part of an attempt to suppress free speech and the right to privacy. These charges reflect an ongoing fight over one of the most popular messaging apps in the country and the Kremlin's struggle to control digital communications following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
If convicted, the entrepreneur could face up to life in prison in Russia. Shortly after the charges were announced, Telegram's official account on X posted an image of Durov making an obscene gesture.