Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said on the 29th of July that it had charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with supporting terrorist activities and issued an international arrest warrant, Reuters reports.
The FSB said the charges were filed because Telegram failed to remove content from the app that Ukrainian special services and “by terrorist and extremist organisations to prepare and coordinate acts of sabotage and terrorism, mass killings, and cyber-fraud operations within the Russian Federation.”
Shortly after the Russian statement, Telegram’s official account on the X website posted a picture of Durov giving the middle finger. Neither Durov nor Telegram have commented further.
Telegram is an encrypted messaging app launched in 2013 that reportedly has more than a billion users and is widely used by both Russians and Ukrainians. Russia has repeatedly tried to restrict Telegram’s use in the country, offering its state-developed MAX messaging app instead.
At the same time, both the Kremlin and the Russian Defense Ministry continue to issue daily statements about Telegram.
Durov was born in Russia but currently holds French and United Arab Emirates citizenship. He also founded VKontakte, the popular Russian equivalent of Facebook, but sold his stake in 2014 under pressure from Russian authorities.
French authorities have opened an investigation into Durov over allegations that the messaging app failed to curb criminal activity and that Telegram is not cooperating with law enforcement. Durov denies the charges.
Durov’s current whereabouts are unknown. A post on the 16th of May on his Telegram channel suggested that the businessman was in Dubai, while on the 23rd of July, Durov wrote that Georgia had made a serious impression on him and he hopes to return there soon.
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