Russia Charges Telegram Founder Pavel Durov with Facilitating Terrorism, Issues International Warrant

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity and placed him on an international wanted list. The FSB alleges that Durov failed to remove channels, chats, and bots used by Ukrainian intelligence services and extremist organizations to coordinate sabotage, mass killings, and cyber fraud within Russia, resulting in billions of dollars in material damages and numerous casualties.

A central part of the accusation involves a popular Telegram dating bot known as "Daivinchik/Leo," which Russian authorities claim was used by Ukrainian intelligence to recruit young Russians aged 12 to 22 for sabotage. The FSB reports that 46 users have been detained across 16 regions since July 2025, alleging these individuals were manipulated into attacking police officers and carrying out arson.

Durov has rejected the charges, stating that Russian authorities are fabricating pretexts to suppress free speech and the right to privacy. He has encouraged Russians to engage in "digital resistance" by using VPNs and proxies to bypass state restrictions on the app, which have been in place since the summer of 2025. Legal experts noted that if convicted, Durov could face a life sentence, and Russian authorities may seek his extradition via Interpol.

The current legal action marks a shift in Kremlin rhetoric. In 2024, when French authorities accused Durov of similar failures to cooperate with law enforcement, Russian officials defended him, calling the French case a political persecution and comparing Telegram's role to that of a car manufacturer who is not held responsible for how terrorists use their vehicles.