MOSCOW — Russia has formally charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and placed him on an international wanted list, escalating a long-running confrontation between the Kremlin and the messaging platform over content moderation and access to user data.
Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said Telegram had failed to remove channels, chats and automated bots that it alleged were being used by Ukrainian intelligence agencies as well as groups Russia designates as terrorist or extremist organizations to coordinate attacks inside the country. The agency said its investigation formed the basis for the criminal charges against Durov.
Telegram, which is headquartered in Dubai, did not immediately issue a public response to the latest charges. Durov, who holds French and United Arab Emirates citizenship, has previously rejected similar allegations, saying Russian authorities were attempting to restrict access to Telegram and undermine privacy and freedom of communication.
The case marks a significant escalation in Russia's campaign to tighten control over online communications. Authorities have increased pressure on foreign messaging services while promoting the state-backed MAX messaging platform as an alternative. Despite previous attempts to curb its use, Telegram remains one of the country's most widely used messaging applications.
Russian authorities have not announced any arrest, and Durov is believed to remain outside Russia. It was not immediately clear what practical effect the international wanted notice would have. The case remains under investigation, and additional details had not been independently verified at the time of publication.
