Telegram founder Pavel Durov faces alleged terrorism charges in Russia, added to wanted list

Russian authorities have reportedly filed criminal charges against Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov for facilitating terrorist activity through Telegram. According to a Reuters report, Russia claims that Ukrainian intelligence agents used Telegram to communicate plans to attack Russian territory. Due to the reason, authorities say that Durov should bear legal responsibility for allowing the platform to be used in this way.

In the response, Telegram's official account on X shared a picture of Durov making a middle-finger gesture, showcasing rejection of Russia's charges. Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) says that the alleged charges are based on an ongoing investigation and are not part of sudden developments.

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Russian authorities have now restricted the use of Telegram to reduce citizens' reliance on foreign technology platforms. The platform can only be accessed using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that masks a user's location. Despite the restrictions, Russian government agencies, including the Kremlin and the Ministry of Defence, are still using Telegram to publish official updates and announcements.

The instant messaging platform is also being described as a “virtual battlefield” as it has become a key platform for Russia-Ukraine war communications. The app is widely used by government officials, the military, war correspondents, bloggers, and others, making it an important information channel in the conflict.

How Telegram is exploited during the Russia-Ukraine war

Russian authorities allege that Ukrainian intelligence agencies used Telegram to organise attacks inside Russia. FSB stated that Telegram’s bots and channels were used to recruit, communicate, and coordinate for sabotage operations. Investigators also linked one dating chatbot dubbed “Daivinchik/Leo” to the alleged recruitment of young Russians for attacks.

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The platform was allegedly used to receive air raid warnings, locate bomb shelters, coordinate humanitarian aid, and follow official government announcements.

Telegram has been linked to illegal activities plenty of times. Recently, the platform was used for the alleged leak of India’s medical exam, NEET. It also led to a temporary ban in India amid the NEET re-exam. Now, it is facing a more serious allegations.