Russia charges Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism

Russia has formally charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorism, escalating its long running standoff with the messaging platform that remains widely used despite repeated attempts by Moscow to curb its influence.

According to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), Telegram has become a key tool for Ukrainian intelligence operations inside Russia.

 "Telegram messenger is actively used by the Ukrainian special services to organise terrorist attacks and sabotage on Russian territory," the FSB alleged in a report by Reuters.

Russian authorities claim the platform failed to remove content that enabled the recruitment of young Russians for sabotage missions, leading to criminal charges against the billionaire entrepreneur.

Investigators also allege that a Telegram chatbot known as "Daivinchik" or "Leo", originally designed as a dating bot, was repurposed by Ukrainian intelligence to recruit people between the ages of 12 and 22 to carry out attacks on Russian infrastructure. The FSB says 46 suspects linked to the alleged network have been arrested over the past year.

The charges mark the latest escalation in Russia's campaign against Telegram, despite the app remaining one of the country's most widely used messaging platforms.

Durov has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that the accusations are politically motivated.

Reuters reported that the Telegram founder has previously described similar actions by Russian authorities as attempts to restrict access to the platform and undermine privacy and free speech.

Responding to the latest charges, Telegram also signalled its defiance. The company's official X account posted an image of Durov making an obscene gesture, a move widely interpreted as a rejection of Moscow's allegations.

The FSB has reportedly placed Durov on an international wanted list as part of the case, although it remains unclear how the move could affect the Dubai-based executive, who holds French and Emirati citizenship after leaving Russia more than a decade ago.

Durov founded Telegram in 2013 after departing Russia following pressure over his previous social networking platform, VK. Today, Telegram has grown into one of the world's largest messaging apps, serving more than one billion active users.

The Russian case adds to Durov's mounting legal challenges. He is also facing separate proceedings in France over allegations that Telegram did not do enough to combat criminal activity on the platform, claims he has consistently denied.