Pavel Durov, the founder, owner, and CEO of the messaging platform Telegram, has been charged by Russian authorities with aiding terrorism. The country’s primary domestic security agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB), confirmed on Wednesday that it has also placed the entrepreneur on an international wanted list.
The FSB alleges that Telegram’s administration failed to remove numerous channels, chats, and bots that were reportedly utilized by terrorist and extremist organizations, as well as Ukrainian intelligence agencies. According to the agency, these platforms were used to coordinate acts of sabotage, mass murder, cyberfraud, and terrorism within Russia, ultimately leading to numerous human casualties. If convicted of these charges in Russia, Durov could face a sentence of up to life in prison.
Durov, who holds dual citizenship in France and the United Arab Emirates, resides in Dubai, where Telegram is based. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the latest development. Earlier this year, Durov had publicly stated that Russian authorities were initiating a criminal investigation against him, characterizing the move as a pretext to restrict access to his platform and suppress free speech and privacy.
The Russian government has pursued a long-term strategy to exert control over the internet under President Vladimir Putin, implementing restrictive laws and attempting to block platforms that do not comply with state regulations. While many users attempt to bypass these restrictions using virtual private network services, authorities often move to block those as well. These efforts have faced pushback, including failed attempts by regional activists to organize protests and criticism from military bloggers, who argue that Telegram remains an essential communication tool for Russian troops and support campaigns in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Despite initial assurances that Telegram would not be restricted on the battlefield, the Kremlin’s stance has shifted. During a meeting with President Putin for International Women’s Day, a servicewoman described the app as an "adversarial communications tool," an assessment with which the president agreed, noting the dangers of using systems not under state control.
This is not the first time Durov has faced legal scrutiny. In 2024, he was arrested in Paris and received preliminary charges from French authorities related to alleged illicit activities on his platform, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse imagery. At that time, the Kremlin criticized the French action as "selective." In March 2025, the CEO confirmed his return to Dubai after spending several months in France.
This story has been corrected to show the potential penalty is life in prison, not 15 years.
