FSB accuses Pavel Durov of inciting terrorism and seeks his international arrest

Russian security authorities have formalized an international arrest warrant for Pavel Durov, founder of the Telegram app. The Federal Security Service (FSB) considers him responsible for facilitating terrorist activities.

According to the FSB’s claims, the Telegram platform has not taken appropriate measures to block content that Ukrainian services and extremist groups have used to organize violent actions. These include plans for sabotage, coordinated attacks, massacres, and disinformation campaigns within the Russian digital space.

As of now, neither the entrepreneur himself nor the Telegram company has issued an official response to these new accusations.

Founded in 2013, Telegram has surpassed one billion users globally. The platform is heavily used in both Russia and Ukraine, particularly amid the ongoing clashes between the two countries.

On the other hand, the Russian government has taken consecutive steps to curb the use of Telegram, prioritizing the state communication service MAX as a controlled substitute.

Durov, who holds citizenship of the United Arab Emirates and France, was born in Russia and is also the creator of the famous social network VKontakte. His departure from the country occurred in 2014, after transferring his shares, a move influenced by mounting Kremlin pressure.

Meanwhile, Durov’s legal situation is also complicated in France, where prosecutors are investigating suspicions that Telegram has shown negligence in preventing criminal activities on its network. According to French investigators, the company has not provided adequate cooperation with law enforcement. Durov himself has categorically dismissed these claims.