Russia has issued an international arrest warrant for Pavel Durov, the founder and chief executive of Telegram, accusing him of complicity in terrorism.
The Russian-born technology entrepreneur, who also holds French and United Arab Emirates passports, is currently in France and remains subject to judicial restrictions imposed by the French authorities.
FSB announces arrest warrant
“An international arrest warrant has been issued” for Durov, Russia’s Federal Security Service, known as the FSB, said in a statement.
The agency said he was being investigated for alleged “complicity in terrorism” in connection with claims that Ukrainian intelligence services trained young Russians to carry out sabotage operations.
Shortly after the announcement, an image showing Durov raising his middle finger was posted on Telegram’s official account on X. Reuters reported that neither Durov nor Telegram had issued any further immediate comment.
Legal proceedings in France
Durov was arrested after stepping off a private aircraft in France in August 2024. He was subsequently placed under formal investigation over a series of alleged offences linked to organised crime.
French judicial authorities have accused him of failing to take sufficient action against the distribution of criminal content through Telegram.
He remains under strict judicial supervision and is prohibited from leaving France without permission from the authorities.
Allegations involving Telegram bot
The FSB accused Telegram of failing to remove Leo Match Bot, a popular dating bot that has been banned in Russia.
According to the Russian authorities, Ukrainian intelligence agents allegedly used the service to approach young Russians and recruit them for terrorist and sabotage activities.
The FSB said 46 Russian citizens aged between 12 and 22 had been arrested in several regions since July 2025. They are accused of attacks against law enforcement officers and sabotage targeting energy and transport infrastructure.
Russian authorities allege that Ukrainian agents posed as young women on the bot before pressuring users to attack police officers or set fire to infrastructure facilities.
Russia tightens digital restrictions
Russia has imposed extensive digital restrictions in recent months, including measures limiting access to Telegram and WhatsApp.
Moscow claims the messaging platforms are being used by Ukrainian intelligence services for activities that threaten Russian national security.
Telegram, an encrypted messaging application founded in 2013, says it has more than one million users. The platform is widely used by both sides in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Russian authorities have repeatedly sought to restrict Telegram while promoting MAX, a state-backed domestic messaging service. However, Russian state institutions, including the Kremlin and the Ministry of Defence, continue to publish daily updates on Telegram.
Durov previously founded VKontakte, Russia’s equivalent of Facebook. He sold his remaining stake in the company in 2014 amid pressure from the Russian authorities.
Source: CNA
