Moscow: Russia has taken a major step in its legal campaign against Telegram founder Pavel Durov by formally charging him with facilitating terrorist activities and placing him on an international wanted list. The move marks one of the strongest actions yet by Russian authorities against the messaging platform, which remains widely used despite increasing government efforts to tighten control over online communications.
According to Russia's Federal Security Service, also known as the FSB, Durov is accused of failing to prevent Telegram from being used by terrorist groups, extremist organizations, foreign intelligence agencies and criminal networks. Russian investigators claim that the platform allowed users to create and operate channels, chat groups and automated bots that were allegedly involved in planning attacks, recruiting people for sabotage missions and spreading extremist material across the country.
The FSB said investigators had gathered evidence showing that Telegram was repeatedly used for activities that threatened Russia's national security. Officials alleged that some channels were linked to Ukrainian intelligence services and were used to organize attacks on infrastructure and recruit people to carry out acts of sabotage. Authorities also claimed that criminal groups relied on the platform to coordinate cybercrime and fraud schemes that caused significant financial losses.
Russian state news agency Interfax reported that an international arrest warrant has been issued for Durov. While such a warrant signals Russia's intention to seek his detention abroad, legal experts say any arrest would depend on whether another country agrees to cooperate with Moscow's request. Durov currently spends much of his time outside Russia and has citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates in addition to his Russian background.
Telegram has not released a detailed statement responding to the latest charges. The company has remained largely silent since the announcement, although Reuters reported that Telegram's official account on the social media platform X shared an image of Durov without directly addressing the allegations.
The latest charges follow months of increasing pressure on Durov and Telegram. Russian authorities opened a criminal investigation against him earlier this year, accusing him of helping terrorist activities by failing to remove illegal content from the platform. Since then, officials have repeatedly criticized Telegram for refusing to comply with requests to block channels that Russia considers dangerous.
Durov has consistently denied the accusations. In previous public comments, he argued that the investigation was politically motivated and reflected a broader effort by the Russian government to weaken encrypted messaging services and limit freedom of communication. He has also maintained that Telegram removes illegal content when appropriate while protecting the privacy of its users.
The case comes as Russia continues expanding its control over the country's digital space. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the government has introduced stricter internet regulations, restricted access to several foreign social media platforms and increased pressure on technology companies operating in the country. Officials have also promoted domestic alternatives to foreign messaging applications as part of a wider effort to strengthen digital sovereignty.
Despite these measures, Telegram remains one of the most popular messaging services in Russia. It is widely used by government officials, journalists, military bloggers, businesses and millions of ordinary users who rely on the platform for news, communication and public discussions.
The Russian case is separate from legal proceedings that Durov has faced in France. French authorities have been investigating whether Telegram did enough to prevent criminal activity on its platform, including organized crime and child exploitation. Durov has denied any wrongdoing in that investigation as well, arguing that technology companies should not be held personally responsible for illegal actions committed by users.
The latest action by Russia is expected to increase tensions between Moscow and Telegram. While the criminal charges are unlikely to have an immediate impact on the platform's global operations, they represent a significant escalation in Russia's long running dispute with one of the world's largest encrypted messaging services. The case also highlights the growing conflict between governments seeking greater control over online platforms and technology companies that argue they must balance law enforcement requests with user privacy and freedom of expression.