Russia probes Telegram founder Durov for aiding terrorism

Russia has launched a criminal case against Telegram founder Pavel Durov for allegedly aiding terrorism, following the breakdown in talks with the tech billionaire. State-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta and Komsomolskaya Pravda cited FSB security service reports blaming Telegram for attacks in Russia, where the Dubai-based app has over 100 million monthly users. The app is accused of facilitating 13 Ukrainian attempts to eliminate Russian military officers and bombings since the war began. Durov called the investigation 'a sad spectacle of a state afraid of its own people' and claims Moscow targets his platform to suppress privacy and free speech. The probe follows Durov's 2014 departure from Russia after Kremlin pressure to sell VK. France also maintains an active investigation into Telegram for alleged illicit transactions and drug trafficking, though Durov's judicial supervision barring him from leaving France was lifted in 2025. This follows France's similar probe into Elon Musk for violations involving X and Grok AI.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/25/russia-probes-telegram-founder-pavel-durov-for-aiding-terrorism/