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Russia Places Telegram Founder Durov on International Wanted List for Terrorism Facilitation

Albert Gea/Reuters

What Happened

Russia's FSB charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, accusing Telegram of not removing channels, chats and the DaVinchik dating bot used to recruit Russians. The agency says dozens were detained since July 2025; Durov rejects the allegations.

What Happened

Russia's FSB charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, accusing Telegram of not removing channels, chats and the DaVinchik dating bot used to recruit Russians. The agency says dozens were detained since July 2025; Durov rejects the allegations.

Where Sources Agree

  • arrows_inputDurov Faces Terrorism Charges: Some sources suggest the Federal Security Service (FSB) has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and issued an international arrest warrant, according to an official statement from the security agency.
  • arrows_inputTelegram's Defiant Response: Various sources establish that Telegram’s official X account posted an image of founder Pavel Durov raising his middle finger on July 29, according to the platform's official social media channel.
  • arrows_inputFSB Recruitment Allegations: Some outlets verify that Ukrainian intelligence operatives allegedly used a Telegram dating bot to recruit Russians aged 12 to 22 for sabotage and terrorist acts, leading to the detention of 46 individuals since July 2025, according to the FSB Investigative Committee.

Where Sources Disagree

  • arrows_outputTelegram Access Negotiations: While Kremlin officials recently indicated they remain in contact with Telegram regarding restoring full access, reports simultaneously confirm that Russian authorities are actively throttling the service and intensifying restrictions.
  • arrows_outputDurov Terrorism Charges: The FSB alleges Telegram failed to remove channels used by Ukrainian intelligence for sabotage and terrorism, justifying criminal charges against founder Pavel Durov. Conversely, Durov characterizes the case as a fabricated pretext designed to suppress privacy and free speech within Russia.

Timeline

July 29, 2026

FSB Charges and International Warrant: On July 29, 2026, Russia's FSB charged Durov with facilitating terrorist activities, accused Telegram of failing to remove channels, chats and bots (including the Daivinchik/Leo chatbot) used to recruit and coerce individuals, and said it issued an international arrest warrant — with investigators linking the matter to 46 detained young users and warning the case could carry life imprisonment.

July 8, 2026

Durov Questioned in Paris: On July 8, 2026, investigating judges in Paris questioned Pavel Durov for more than six hours as part of the ongoing French probe into Telegram's alleged complicity in criminal activity. The session came amid continuing French and Russian legal scrutiny of the platform.

July 1, 2025

Russian Restrictions and Detentions: Russia began tightening restrictions on Telegram in mid-2025 and said it had detained 46 users aged 12 to 22, alleging they were recruited via a popular dating chatbot (Daivinchik/Leo) since July 2025 to carry out arson, attacks and other sabotage. Regulators limited Telegram voice and video calls and maintained other curbs as part of broader internet control efforts.

Summaries by Ground AI

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