Pavel Durov, the founder of the Telegram messaging app, said Russia opened a criminal investigation against him on charges of “aiding terrorism,” as the Kremlin and Russian regulators have continued tightening oversight of online platforms. In a post on social media, Durov said the Russian government had fabricated pretexts to restrict access to Telegram and that the move was part of an attempt to “suppress the right to privacy and free speech.” He also called it what he said was “a sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people.”
The investigation comes after unconfirmed reports circulated earlier in the day that Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, had opened a case against Durov. It also follows a recent step by Russia’s communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, which had said it was restricting Telegram after accusing the company of refusing to abide by Russian law.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that the FSB had gathered information on what he described as “a large number of violations” by Telegram, as well as content that could “potentially pose a danger to our country.” Peskov said Telegram had been unwilling to cooperate with the authorities, and he added that “the relevant agencies are taking measures they deem appropriate.”
Russian officials have framed the Telegram crackdown as a security issue, while some Russian critics have warned that limiting Telegram would harm communications widely used in the country’s war effort. The AP report said pro-Kremlin military bloggers criticized the restriction, warning Telegram was widely used by Russian troops fighting in Ukraine and that restricting service could derail military communications.
Digital development minister Maksud Shadayev told the Russian news wire Interfax that foreign intelligence agencies could be reading messages sent through Telegram by Russian soldiers on the front line. The comments were part of a broader pattern described by the AP, in which under President Vladimir Putin, Russian authorities have adopted restrictive laws and targeted platforms they do not control while also improving technology to monitor and manipulate online traffic.
In recent years, Russian authorities have targeted YouTube and restricted messaging platforms, including by blocking Signal and Viber and banning online calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, according to the AP report. The agency actions also extended to Apple’s FaceTime service, with restrictions imposed in December, the report said. While some users can sometimes bypass such restrictions using virtual private networks, the AP report said many VPN services are also blocked.
At the same time, the AP said Russia promotes a “national” messaging app known as MAX. Critics say MAX could be used for surveillance, and the AP reported that the platform openly declares it will share user data with authorities upon request, and experts said it does not use end-to-end encryption.
The AP report also said Durov has faced criminal investigations elsewhere. In 2024, it said he was arrested in Paris over allegations that his platform was being used for illicit activity, including drug trafficking and the distribution of child sexual abuse images.