In brief
The Federal Security Service (FSB) alleges that Telegram was used by Ukrainian agents to coordinate sabotage and terror within Russia, and that the platform failed to delete relevant channels. An international arrest warrant has been issued for Pavel Durov, who resides abroad. The founder, known for launching VKontakte and a vocal critic of Russian censorship, has been previously investigated by French authorities for moderation failures. Telegram, which serves dozens of millions in Russia and Ukraine, faces escalating pressure amid a broader crackdown on internet freedoms.
Russia has placed a global arrest warrant on Pavel Durov, the founder of the popular messaging app Telegram, accusing him of facilitating terrorism.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) claims that Telegram was used to “prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terror” inside the country by Ukrainian intelligence. It also alleges that the platform failed to remove numerous channels, chats, and bots that promoted pro‑Ukrainian recruitment.
The warrant is expected to apply to Durov’s three nationalities – Russian, French and United Arab Emirates – and to be enforced in any jurisdiction that recognises Russian legal authority. It is unclear whether other countries will cooperate or extradite the tech entrepreneur, who has lived abroad since 2014.
Durov, 41, is the former founder of VKontakte, Russia’s equivalent of Facebook. He left the country after refusing to comply with requests to shut down opposition communities on the site, a move that earned him notoriety on the global stage.
Telegram has long emphasised its stance on privacy and free communication, boasting around 950 million users worldwide. While it has faced criticism over moderation practices, the platform has repeatedly denied that it fails to manage criminal or extremist content.
The international arrest warrant follows an earlier investigation by French authorities in 2024, which found Durov allegedly did not adequately moderate the app’s use for criminal purposes. He was released after several months, though the investigation continues.
In a playful response, Telegram’s own X account posted an image of the founder holding up his middle finger, a nod to his previous accusations that Russian authorities were continually seeking new pretexts to restrict users’ access to the platform.
