Reuters – July 30, 2026
Russian authorities announced on Wednesday that they have charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activity, saying the messaging app was being used by Ukrainian intelligence operatives to organise attacks inside Russia.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) and the state Investigative Committee accused a popular Telegram chatbot called Daivinchik/Leo of helping Ukrainian special services recruit and entrap young Russians, allegedly coercing them into sabotage and attacks on infrastructure and law enforcement.
According to the FSB, 46 Russians aged between 12 and 22 were arrested over the past year after being reportedly lured via the chatbot by people posing as young women. The agency said those recruits were directed to carry out acts such as setting fires to transport, energy, communications or financial facilities and attacking police officers. There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities.
In response to the charges, Telegram’s official account on X posted an image of Durov making an obscene gesture. The announcement by the FSB marks the culmination of a long-running investigation into Durov and the Dubai-based company behind Telegram.
The statement said Durov was being placed on an international wanted list, though it did not specify the mechanism Moscow would use. Interpol had not immediately responded to requests for comment; a source familiar with such procedures said a Russian request for a Red Notice would not necessarily produce a quick result.
Durov, who was born in Russia, holds Emirati and French passports and founded the Russian social network VKontakte before selling his remaining stake in 2014 amid pressure from Russian authorities. He has been living in Dubai; his current whereabouts are unclear, though he posted last week that he was in Georgia.
The article noted that Dubai maintains friendly relations with Moscow and growing economic ties, and that any move to hand Durov over could raise political and reputational issues for the emirate.
Telegram has faced increasing restrictions in Russia. Authorities have effectively throttled the service as part of a broader effort to curb access to foreign platforms and tighten internet control. Many Russians now rely on virtual private networks to reach Telegram, even as official state bodies — including the Kremlin and the defence ministry — continue to post on the platform daily.
The app has been described by commentators as a “virtual battlefield” in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, used by officials, soldiers and high-profile bloggers on both sides to share information and commentary.
Durov has previously denied wrongdoing. He says Telegram has gone beyond its legal obligations in moderating content and cooperating with law enforcement to fight crime. In 2024, he was detained in France over allegations that Telegram did not do enough to counter criminal activity and failed to cooperate adequately with authorities; he was later allowed to leave while investigations continued.
A Russian government newspaper reported earlier this year that Durov was under investigation in a terrorism-related case. In April he said a summons for “Suspect P.V. Durov” had been delivered to an apartment in Russia where he lived two decades ago. At the time he wrote that authorities may be accusing him of defending Articles 29 and 23 of the Russian Constitution, which guarantee freedom of speech and the right to private correspondence, and said he was “proud to be guilty.”
The charges intensify the standoff between Telegram and Russian authorities and raise fresh questions about how international law enforcement and diplomatic ties will respond if Moscow pursues extradition or an Interpol notice. Reuters contributed reporting.