Russia Charges Telegram Founder Pavel Durov With Aiding Terrorism, Places Him On International Wanted List

The charges mark a major escalation in the Kremlin's long-running crackdown on Telegram, one of Russia's most widely used messaging platforms, as authorities intensify efforts to tighten state control over online communications amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the FSB alleged that Telegram had failed to remove "numerous channels, chats and bots" that were actively being used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorist groups and extremist organisations to plan and coordinate acts of sabotage, terrorism, mass killings and cyber fraud within Russia.

The agency claimed that these activities had resulted in "numerous human casualties" and further alleged that Ukrainian security services had used a Telegram-based dating chatbot to recruit Russian citizens for sabotage and terrorist operations.

According to the FSB, 46 users of the chatbot, aged between 12 and 22, have been detained across Russia since July 2025.

If convicted under Russian law, Durov could face a sentence of up to life imprisonment.

The development comes amid growing restrictions on Telegram in Russia. Earlier this year, Durov revealed that Russian authorities had opened a criminal investigation against him, accusing the government of fabricating legal grounds to restrict Telegram in an attempt to suppress privacy and free speech.

Russia has steadily expanded internet controls since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Authorities have introduced stringent online regulations, blocked or restricted access to several foreign digital platforms, and promoted domestic alternatives backed by the state.

Major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and X, have been banned in Russia, while YouTube has faced bandwidth throttling. Messaging applications such as Signal and Viber have also been blocked, and access to Telegram and WhatsApp has increasingly been restricted. Although many users continue to rely on virtual private networks (VPNs), Russian authorities have routinely blocked VPN services as well.

The government has simultaneously promoted MAX, a state-backed messaging platform that integrates messaging, government services and digital payments. However, privacy advocates have raised concerns over the platform's ability to share user data with authorities and the absence of end-to-end encryption.

Who is Pavel Durov

Born in Russia, Pavel Durov founded Telegram in 2013 after leaving the country amid mounting pressure from Russian authorities. Before launching Telegram, he founded VKontakte (VK), Russia's largest social networking platform, before selling his remaining stake in 2014.

Durov currently holds Emirati and French citizenship and has lived outside Russia for several years. Telegram now claims to have more than one billion users worldwide and has become a key communication platform for both Russia and Ukraine during the ongoing conflict.

The Russian case is not Durov's first legal challenge. In 2024, French authorities arrested him in Paris as part of an investigation into allegations that Telegram had failed to curb criminal activity, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse material, and had not adequately cooperated with law enforcement requests.

The latest charges underscore Russia's increasing pressure on global technology platforms as it seeks greater control over digital communications and online content.