Russia charges Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and puts him on wanted list

Key Points:

• Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) charged Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, with aiding terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, accusing Telegram of failing to remove channels used by Ukrainian intelligence and extremist groups to coordinate attacks in Russia.
• The charges come amid Russia's intensified efforts to control the internet following its invasion of Ukraine, including restrictions on Telegram and other popular messaging apps, with authorities citing national security concerns.
• Durov, who holds French and UAE citizenship and resides in Dubai, has denied the allegations, claiming Russian authorities are fabricating reasons to suppress privacy and free speech; if convicted in Russia, he could face life imprisonment.
• Russia has banned or restricted multiple social media platforms and promotes a state-backed messaging app, MAX, which lacks end-to-end encryption and shares user data with authorities, raising surveillance concerns.
• Durov was previously arrested in France in 2024 on allegations related to illicit activities on Telegram, but he returned to Dubai in 2025; Telegram has not publicly responded to the latest charges.