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FSB seeks Durov arrest
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Wednesday that it charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with “aiding terrorist activities” and issued an international warrant for his arrest.
“Russian authorities have charged Pavel Durov, cofounder of the encrypted messaging platform Telegram, with “aiding terrorism” and issued an international arrest warrant for him”
NDTV said Russia announced it was seeking the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov over accusations of “complicity in terrorism,” alleging he had let the platform be used for recruitment by Ukraine’s security services.
The FSB said the charge formed part of “an ongoing criminal investigation” against Durov, accusing Telegram’s management of failing to remove channels, chats and bots used to organize attacks and acts of sabotage inside Russia.
DW reported that Russia began restricting Telegram’s operations in the country last August, and in February Roskomnadzor said Telegram was still failing to comply with Russian law and that restrictions would remain in place until the company met its requirements.
Telegram and Kremlin clash
After the warrant broke, Telegram’s account on X posted a picture of Durov giving a middle finger to the camera, as DW described it as an apparent response to Moscow’s move.
Al Jazeera reported that there was no official comment from Durov or Telegram, but that Telegram’s official account on X posted a photograph of Durov holding up his middle finger after the charge was announced.
Euronews said Durov called the case politically motivated, and it quoted the Kremlin’s pattern of targeting political enemies on charges of supporting “terrorism” or “extremism”.
Euronews also reported that Russia’s Investigative Committee was separately examining criminal cases involving the recruitment of teenagers into alleged terrorism and sabotage through a chatbot called “Dayvinchik/Leo” on Telegram.
What Russia says is at stake
Russia’s FSB accused Telegram of failing to take down “channels, chats and bots” used by “Ukrainian special services and by terrorist and extremist organisations” to prepare and coordinate attacks in Russia, including “sabotage and terrorism, mass killings, and cyber-fraud operations,” according to Al Jazeera.
“Russia issues an arrest warrant for Telegram founder Pavel Durov, information provided by Reuters, July 29, 2026, at 12:55”
El Economista said the FSB’s official communiqué alleged Telegram repeatedly failed to remove contents used by Ukrainian special services and by organizations described as terrorist and extremist to plan and coordinate acts of sabotage, attacks, mass killings, and cybercrime inside Russia.
The Moscow Times reported that the charge of aiding terrorist activities carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years in prison, and it said Telegram has around 90 million users in Russia.
DW added that Russian courts have fined Telegram more than 100 million rubles since the beginning of this year, imposed mainly for failing to remove content banned in Russia, as the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said officials had discussed restoring Telegram’s full operations.
