Key facts
- Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities.
- An international arrest warrant has been issued for Durov.
- Russian authorities claim Telegram has been used to coordinate terrorist attacks and commit over 153,000 crimes since 2022.
- Durov has denied the accusations, stating the case is politically motivated.
- Russia has intensified efforts to restrict Telegram's access.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities and issued an international arrest warrant for him, according to Russian state media. The FSB alleges that the messaging platform has been used to coordinate attacks and commit crimes, citing the March 2024 terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall and the killings of Darya Dugina and General Igor Kirillov.
Russian media outlets, citing the FSB, reported that Telegram has been used in over 153,000 crimes since 2022, including approximately 33,000 cases involving sabotage, terrorism, or extremism. The reports also claim Durov ignored more than 150,000 takedown requests from Russia's media regulator, Roskomnadzor.
Durov has rejected the accusations, calling the case politically motivated and an attempt to suppress privacy and free speech. He stated that Russian authorities fabricate pretexts to restrict access to Telegram. The Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, has indicated that authorities recorded numerous violations and Telegram's unwillingness to cooperate.
This investigation marks an escalation in Moscow's long-standing conflict with Durov, who left Russia in 2014. Russia previously attempted to block Telegram in 2018 but failed. Authorities have since intermittently throttled the service. Durov has previously faced legal trouble outside Russia, including an arrest in France in 2024 on charges related to organized crime and refusal to cooperate with investigators seeking user data.
Telegram, launched in 2013, has become a significant information hub in Russia and the Ukraine war zone, used by various political figures and boasting approximately 1 billion active users worldwide.