Security agency alleges platform facilitated terrorist activities as Telegram offers no immediate response
MOSCOW: Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday that it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities and had issued an international warrant for his arrest.
In a statement, the FSB alleged the charges stemmed from Telegram’s failure to remove content that it claimed was used by Ukrainian special services, as well as terrorist and extremist organisations, to coordinate acts of sabotage, terrorism, mass killings and cyber fraud inside Russia.
The agency did not provide further details about the legal proceedings or the status of the reported international warrant.
Neither Durov nor Telegram issued an immediate public response to the allegations.
Telegram remains central communication platform
Telegram, an encrypted messaging platform launched in 2013, says it has more than one billion users worldwide and continues to play a significant role in communications on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
In recent years, Russian authorities have repeatedly sought to restrict Telegram’s use while promoting MAX, a state-backed messaging service.
Durov, who was born in Russia and later obtained Emirati and French citizenship, previously founded the Russian social networking platform VKontakte before selling his remaining stake in 2014 following pressure from Russian authorities.
Separate investigation continues in France
The announcement from Moscow comes as French authorities continue a separate investigation into Durov over allegations that Telegram failed to adequately combat criminal activity on its platform and did not sufficiently cooperate with law enforcement requests.
Durov has denied wrongdoing in the French case.
The FSB’s allegations against Durov have not been independently verified, and no court documents detailing the charges were immediately released. Likewise, there has been no confirmation from international law enforcement bodies regarding the reported arrest warrant.
The latest development adds to ongoing scrutiny of Telegram in multiple jurisdictions, where authorities have raised concerns over platform moderation, encrypted communications and cooperation with criminal investigations. Telegram has previously stated that it complies with applicable laws while seeking to protect user privacy and freedom of communication.
