Russian authorities have initiated a criminal investigation into Pavel Durov, the CEO and co-founder of Telegram, accusing him of facilitating terrorist activity.
Key Points
- Russian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into Telegram CEO Pavel Durov over alleged facilitation of terrorist activity.
- Telegram has been linked to over 153,000 criminal incidents in Russia since 2022, with 33,000 involving serious offenses like terrorism and sabotage.
- The investigation spotlights the tension between digital privacy, platform autonomy, and state oversight, following similar scrutiny in France.
“Each day, the authorities fabricate new pretexts to restrict Russians’ access to Telegram as they seek to suppress the right to privacy and free speech. A sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people,” Durov wrote in an X post, where he shared that local authorities launched an investigation into him.
According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Russia’s official government newspaper, Telegram’s CEO is under criminal investigation over alleged facilitation of terrorist activities. The report cited the Federal Security Service as the source of the information.
Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that Telegram has been linked to numerous violations and content considered potentially harmful to Russia, according to a report by Interfax Russia.
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“We’re recording a large number of violations and the Telegram administration’s unwillingness to cooperate with our authorities. We’re also recording a large amount of content that could potentially pose a danger to our country,” Peskov stated. “And based on this, our relevant agencies take the measures they deem appropriate,” he added.
The probe into Durov follows Telegram’s continued refusal to remove content flagged as extremist by Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor. In August 2025, the media regulator implemented a “partial restriction on calls” within Telegram and WhatsApp, citing law enforcement reports aimed at curbing criminal activity.
According to reports from Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Federal Security Service, Telegram has been linked to more than 153,000 criminal incidents since 2022. Of these, roughly 33,000 involve serious offenses such as sabotage, terrorism, and extremism, including alleged cases of explosions, arson at military recruitment offices, and homicide.
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On February 10, Roskomnadzor stated that Telegram remains noncompliant with Russian law, and as a result, operational restrictions on the platform will remain in effect.
The new investigation into Durov follows a similar inquiry in France. In August 2025, Durov maintained that the French criminal probe had yet to uncover any wrongdoing by him or Telegram. He emphasized that the platform’s moderation practices align with industry standards and affirmed that Telegram has consistently complied with all legally binding requests from French authorities.
The case against Durov spotlights the growing global scrutiny facing messaging platforms that prioritize privacy and encryption. As governments worldwide weigh the balance between public safety and digital freedom, Telegram’s ongoing challenges emphasize the tension between state oversight and user autonomy in the modern internet era.
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