Russian authorities have announced an international search for Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of the Telegram messaging app, accusing him of "complicity in terrorism." The Federal Security Service (FSB) claims Telegram has been used by Ukraine’s security agencies to recruit Russians for sabotage, and alleges Durov failed to remove prohibited content.
Durov, who was born in Saint Petersburg and holds French and UAE citizenships, has lived outside Russia for several years. He has repeatedly clashed with Moscow as it tightened internet controls. Telegram remains one of the most popular communication platforms in Russia despite ongoing government attempts to block it or force users onto state-backed, unencrypted apps.
The FSB’s statement did not specify the nature of the international notice or which countries might cooperate with Russia’s request. Moscow has a history of targeting political opponents abroad with terrorism or extremism charges.
Previously, Durov founded VKontakte (VK), Russia’s leading social network, but left under pressure from Russian authorities. Telegram, his subsequent creation, has resisted government censorship efforts and is widely used across Russia. This year, VK, now state-controlled, has promoted a government-backed messenger app as an alternative to Telegram and WhatsApp, which Durov criticized as a surveillance tool.
