Pavel Durov, Russian-born founder of the popular messaging app Telegram, disclosed on Tuesday that Russian authorities have launched a criminal probe against him for allegedly “aiding terrorism”, marking a fresh escalation in Moscow’s long-standing efforts to restrict the platform.
Durov, who holds dual Russian and French citizenship and resides outside Russia, made the revelation in a post on Telegram, accusing the authorities of fabricating pretexts to curb Russians’ access to the app and suppress privacy and free speech rights.
“Russia has opened a criminal case against me for ‘aiding terrorism’,” Durov wrote, adding that daily restrictions aim to shift users to Max, a state-backed alternative criticised for lacking robust privacy features.
Moscow has repeatedly restricted Telegram and WhatsApp — Russia’s two leading messaging apps — while demanding Durov provide the Federal Security Service (FSB) with backdoor access to bypass end-to-end encryption and access user data. These efforts, ongoing for years, have failed to fully block the service.
On the same day, some state media outlets cited FSB materials in lengthy reports, alleging Durov’s non-cooperation enabled Telegram’s use in coordinating “terrorist” attacks, resulting in deaths. No official confirmation from Russian law enforcement on the probe was available.
The Kremlin frequently deploys “terrorism” or “extremism” charges to target dissenters, a tactic intensified since the Ukraine offensive began four years ago on Tuesday.
Beyond messaging, Telegram serves as Russia’s primary social media platform, with the Kremlin maintaining an active official account, as confirmed last week by spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
