On Tuesday, July 29th, 2026, Russia charged Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of the encrypted messaging platform Telegram, with aiding terrorism. The Federal Security Service (FSB) alleged that Telegram is being used by Ukrainian spies to organize attacks inside Russia. The charges culminate a long investigation targeting Dubai-based Durov and Telegram.

The FSB and the state Investigative Committee claimed a Telegram chatbot named "Daivinchik/Leo" was used by Ukrainian special services to recruit young Russians aged 12 to 22 for sabotage and terrorist operations. According to the FSB, 46 Russians in this age group were arrested over the past year for attacks on law enforcement or setting fire to transport, energy, communications, or financial infrastructure.

The FSB stated that Durov has been placed on an international wanted list but did not specify the mechanism for this. A source familiar with the situation noted that if Moscow requests a Red Notice, the process is unlikely to be quick.

In response to the charges, Telegram's official account on X posted an image of Durov making an obscene gesture. Moscow has effectively throttled Telegram as part of a broader campaign to restrict foreign tech platforms and tighten internet control. Russians currently access Telegram primarily via VPNs to conceal their location.

Durov previously founded VKontakte, Russia's Facebook equivalent, before selling his stake in 2014 amid pressure from Russian authorities.

Sources