Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, escalating Moscow's crackdown on one of the country's most widely used messaging platforms.
Durov, who was born in Russia before moving abroad, faces the charges as Russian authorities continue tightening control over the internet, a campaign that has intensified since the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
In a statement, the FSB accused Telegram's administration of failing to remove “numerous channels, chats and bots” that are “actively used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorists, and extremist organisations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass murder, and cyberfraud" in Russia, which resulted in “numerous human casualties.”
The agency also alleged that Ukrainian security services used a Telegram dating chatbot to recruit Russians for “sabotage and terrorist activities.” It said 46 users of the chatbot, aged between 12 and 22, had been detained across Russia since July 2025 on charges including assaulting law enforcement officers, arson and other offences.
Durov alleges politically motivated investigation
Earlier this year, Durov said Russian authorities had opened a criminal investigation against him and accused them of inventing allegations to curb access to Telegram in an attempt to “suppress the right to privacy and free speech.”
If convicted, he could face life imprisonment in Russia.
Telegram did not immediately comment on the charges. According to the company's website, Telegram is based in Dubai, where Durov, who holds French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, also resides.
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Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has introduced a series of restrictive internet laws, blocked or limited access to major online platforms and strengthened its ability to monitor digital communications.
Facebook, Instagram and X have been banned in Russia, YouTube has been throttled, while messaging platforms such as Signal and Viber have been blocked. Restrictions have also been imposed on WhatsApp and Telegram. Russia previously attempted to block Telegram between 2018 and 2020 but was unsuccessful.
At the same time, authorities have promoted the domestic messaging platform MAX, which offers messaging, government services and payment facilities. Critics say the app could be used for surveillance because it openly states it will share user data with authorities on request and does not use end-to-end encryption.
Durov has also faced legal scrutiny outside Russia. In 2024, he was arrested in Paris over allegations that Telegram was being used for illicit activities, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse images. He said in March 2025 that he had returned to Dubai after spending “several months” in France.
Following Durov's arrest, the Kremlin criticised French authorities for acting “selective.” Putin said in September 2024, “I know that many countries have raised concerns about the platform being used in certain ways by certain individuals and entities whose activities could harm the economy or security of certain countries. I think the Russian government might also have had some questions."
“But all platforms of this kind are guilty of this. If this is what they're doing to Durov, then others should probably be arrested,” the Russian leader said, adding that the French government's “actions are not entirely clear to me, as they are selective.”
