Russia's domestic security agency, the FSB, has issued an international arrest warrant for Pavel Durov, the founder and owner of the messaging app Telegram, accusing him of complicity in terrorism. The agency claims that Telegram's administration has failed to remove numerous channels, chats, and bots that are allegedly used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies, terrorist, and extremist organizations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage, terrorism, mass murder, and cyberfraud within Russia. The FSB stated that these actions have resulted in numerous human casualties.
The charges come as Russian authorities intensify efforts to control the internet, a campaign that has escalated since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to the FSB, a popular dating chatbot on Telegram was used by Ukrainian security services to lure and recruit Russians for sabotage and terrorist activities. The agency reported detaining 46 users of this chatbot, aged 12 to 22, across Russia since July 2025 for alleged assaults on law enforcement officers, arson, and other acts.
Durov, who was born and began his career in Russia but later moved abroad, has previously stated that Russian authorities opened a criminal investigation against him, which he described as fabricated pretexts to restrict access to Telegram and suppress the right to privacy and free speech. If convicted in Russia, Durov could face a potential sentence of life in prison.
Telegram's official website states that the company is based in Dubai, where Durov, who holds dual citizenship of the United Arab Emirates and France, also resides. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia has pursued a multi-pronged strategy to rein in the internet, enacting restrictive laws, banning non-compliant websites and platforms, and enhancing technology for online traffic monitoring and manipulation. Several popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X, have been banned, while others like YouTube have been throttled. Messaging apps such as Signal and Viber have been blocked, and even popular platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram have faced restrictions. Russia's homegrown social media platform VK, also founded by Durov, has come under the control of Kremlin-friendly companies. Russia's previous attempts to block Telegram between 2018 and 2020 were unsuccessful.
While virtual private network (VPN) services can sometimes circumvent these restrictions, many VPNs are also routinely blocked. Concurrently, Russia promotes its national messaging app, MAX, which critics suggest could be used for surveillance. Developers and officials tout MAX as a comprehensive platform for messaging, government services, and payments, openly stating that user data can be shared with authorities upon request, and experts note its lack of end-to-end encryption.
Durov has faced legal scrutiny in other jurisdictions. In 2025, he was arrested in Paris over allegations that Telegram was used for illicit activities, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Durov stated in March 2025 that he had returned to Dubai after spending several months in France.