Russia Charges Telegram Founder Pavel Durov with Aiding Terrorism, Escalates Internet Crackdown

Summary

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, according to an official statement released Wednesday. The charges allege that Telegram's administration failed to remove channels, chats, and bots allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies and terrorist organizations to coordinate attacks in Russia. The FSB claims that Ukrainian security services used a popular dating chatbot on Telegram to recruit Russians for sabotage and terrorist activities, resulting in the detention of 46 young users (ages 12-22) across Russia since July 2025.

The charges represent a significant escalation in Russia's long-running campaign to restrict Telegram, which has intensified since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Durov, who holds dual French and UAE citizenship and lives in Dubai, previously accused Russian authorities in 2026 of fabricating pretexts to suppress the platform as part of broader efforts to control the internet and restrict privacy and free speech. If convicted in Russia, Durov could face life imprisonment. The move is part of Russia's broader internet censorship campaign, which has already blocked Facebook, Instagram, X, Signal, and Viber, while promoting the state-controlled alternative messaging app MAX.

• Russian authorities claim Ukrainian security services used Telegram chatbots to recruit young Russians for sabotage, with 46 detentions reported since July 2025
• The crackdown has sparked widespread discontent in Russia, with activists and military bloggers arguing Telegram is essential for communications and crowdfunding for troops