Telegram Founder Charged: International Manhunt for Pavel Durov

The Russian Federal Security Service has charged Telegram founder Pavel Durov with facilitating terrorist activities, issuing an international arrest warrant. The charges come from Telegram's alleged failure to remove incriminating material. Despite restrictions, Telegram remains widely used in Russia. Durov, now holding Emirati and French passports, denies wrongdoing.

The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has accused Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, an encrypted messaging app, of facilitating terrorist activities and has issued an international warrant for his arrest.

The FSB claims that the charges stem from Telegram’s alleged refusal to eliminate content used by Ukrainian special services and extremist organizations to coordinate sabotage, terrorism, and cyber-fraud within Russia. In response, Telegram's official account posted an image of Durov making an obscene gesture. No further comments have been made by Durov or Telegram at this point.

Founded by Durov in 2013, Telegram reports over 1 billion users and is commonly used amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Despite Russia’s attempts to limit Telegram, it remains in use by state bodies like the Kremlin. Meanwhile, French authorities are examining Telegram's compliance with countering criminal activity, a claim Durov refutes. This development trails reports of a terrorism-related investigation into Durov's activities, with his current whereabouts appearing unclear.