Russia charges Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism, issues international arrest warrant (Image: Pavel Durov (@durov) / X)
Mumbai, July 29 (IANS): Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) on Wednesday charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities, accusing the messaging platform of failing to remove content allegedly used to coordinate sabotage, terrorism and cyber-fraud operations within the country.
The Russian security agency also said it had issued an international arrest warrant for Durov. There was no immediate response from either Durov or Telegram to the allegations.
According to the FSB, the charges relate to Telegram's alleged failure to take down material that was used by Ukrainian special services as well as terrorist and extremist organisations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage, terrorism, mass killings and cyber-fraud operations inside Russia.
Telegram, the encrypted messaging platform launched by Durov in 2013, has grown into one of the world's largest messaging services, with more than one billion users globally.
The platform has played a significant role in information sharing during the Russia-Ukraine conflict and is widely used by people on both sides of the war.
The move marks the latest escalation in Moscow's long-running efforts to tighten control over Telegram.
Russian authorities have repeatedly attempted to limit the platform's influence while promoting the state-backed MAX messaging service as a domestic alternative.
Durov, who was born in Russia and later acquired Emirati and French citizenship, founded the Russian social networking site VKontakte before selling his remaining stake in 2014 after facing increasing pressure from Russian authorities.
The case in Russia adds to the legal challenges facing the tech entrepreneur abroad. French authorities are separately investigating whether Telegram failed to adequately curb criminal activity on its platform and did not sufficiently cooperate with law enforcement requests. Durov has denied any wrongdoing in connection with the French investigation.
