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Russia Charges Telegram Founder Pavel Durov with Aiding Terrorism

Published July 29, 2026 at 7:31 AM UTC

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Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Pavel Durov, founder of the messaging app Telegram, with aiding terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list. The FSB alleges that Telegram failed to remove content used by Ukrainian intelligence and extremist groups to coordinate acts of sabotage, terrorism, and cybercrime within Russia. Durov, who resides in Dubai and holds Russian, Emirati, and French citizenship, faces potential life imprisonment if convicted. This development is part of Russia's broader crackdown on internet freedom following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, during which the Kremlin has increasingly restricted or banned major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Signal, while promoting a government-backed messaging app, MAX, criticized for surveillance and lack of encryption. Durov has previously stated that Russian authorities are targeting Telegram to suppress privacy and free speech.