Pavel Durov, the Russian-born founder of Telegram, has revealed that Russian authorities have opened a criminal case against him for allegedly “aiding terrorism,” marking the latest escalation in Moscow’s long-running dispute with the messaging platform.
In a post shared on Telegram on Tuesday, February 24, Pavel Durov — who holds Russian and French citizenship and resides outside Russia — said authorities had formally initiated proceedings against him.
“Russia has opened a criminal case against me for ‘aiding terrorism’,” he wrote, adding that officials were fabricating reasons to limit citizens’ access to the app.
The development comes as Moscow continues to tighten restrictions on Telegram and WhatsApp, the country’s two most popular messaging services. Authorities have been encouraging users to migrate to Max, a state-backed alternative that critics argue lacks sufficient privacy protections.
For years, Russian regulators have sought to curb Telegram’s operations, demanding that Pavel Durov grant the Federal Security Service (FSB) backdoor access to bypass the app’s encryption and retrieve user data. Telegram has consistently resisted such requests.
Earlier on Tuesday, several state media outlets published reports citing FSB materials, alleging that Durov’s refusal to cooperate had contributed to fatalities, claiming Telegram was used to coordinate what authorities described as “terrorist” attacks.
As of the time of reporting, Russian law enforcement agencies had not issued an official statement confirming whether a formal investigation had been launched.
Observers note that the Kremlin has frequently relied on accusations of “terrorism” or “extremism” to prosecute critics and silence dissent, particularly amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which recently marked its fourth year.
Despite the tensions, Telegram remains widely used in Russia, functioning not only as a messaging service but also as a major social media platform. The Kremlin itself maintains an active presence on the app, publishing updates daily, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov recently affirming that its official account would remain operational.
